The Goblin and his Bride
by Twyla Mercedes
Summary: Continuation of The Goblin & the Small Town Sheriff. Gold and Emma continue their efforts to break the curse, Henry finds a friend, some fairies, a baby, and an election with some dirty tricks to come. I've added a new story arc with Jefferson as a major player for his fans and because this is a particularly fun story-line that's developing. txm
1. Chapter 1

The Goblin and his Bride

_This is a continuation of The Goblin and the Small Town Sheriff (It was getting cumbersomely long so I elected to begin a new story). This is set about six months later. _

_This will start abit slowly. Hang with me, please, until chapter three when I get the core conflicts going. thx txm_

_And no, of course, I don't own of these characters, get real._

+ + + + + _Awakening_

Emma didn't so much as "wake up" as "come to." She was immediately aware that her mouth tasted like she had been eating sand that someone had poured gasoline through. She struggled to open her eyes. It hurt. In a single moment, several things flooded her consciousness. She was in a strange bedroom. She was naked. And she was not alone.

Wait! She'd been here before! She'd awakened from having been drugged with an equally naked and drugged Gold. What was that now? Seven months ago, maybe alittle more. She was married to Gold now. Not always sure this was a good thing. But he had gotten Henry back for her. Turned out he was Henry's father. Good God, how had that happened? Well, he had also gotten her pregnant. Again. OK, not entirely his fault. They'd both been seriously drugged and had engaged in sex without any protection. Despite her best efforts with Plan B, she'd been one of the 15% of the population that found the morning after treatment to be ineffective. Well, that was then.

But where was she now? A big room. A big bed. Yes, and her bed companion was a green skinned goblin.

+ + + + + + _Morning_

It had been that same dream again when she woke up in bed with the creature. She was no longer in the cavern, but in a beautiful bedroom with luxurious bed linens, silk and velvet. Sometimes she dreamed about herself and the creature. . . well. . . doing it. Sometimes it was wonderful, with gentle, slow love-making with kissing and licking and generous hands just where they needed to be, culminating in really, really, sterling sex, one orgasm after another. But other times, it was violent and painful, with the creature throwing her on his bed, her struggling, him overcoming her struggles and forcing himself onto (into) her. Emma admitted she'd ended up orgasming in these dreams too, since he seemed to know just where her buttons were and how hard and fast he needed to push them.

"Being unfaithful to me in your dreams again, Emma?" her husband asked. He always had a pretty good idea of what happened in these dreams, having explained to her that the green goblin creature was actually himself, in Fairyland, that he somehow existed in both the real world and the fantasy land. Emma still wasn't 100% sure. . . of anything.

As always he was up before she was, immaculately attired, as always, and had fetched her some lightly buttered toast and hot tea, as always. Her killer nausea had finally abetted and she had acquired some of the glow that pregnant women get (although most of the time she still felt tired and icky).

"Not this time, just woke up in the strange bedroom with a bad taste in my mouth, so this first breakfast is perfect." She ate the toast and drank the tea.

"And what is on your agenda today?" he asked, making sure that his very pregnant wife wasn't going to involve herself in running after lowlifes or do any heavy lifting (both of which she'd been known to do, pregnant or not).

"Paperwork catch-up and," she looked at him and grinned, "gonna hire me a new deputy."

"Excellent. You need to have someone trained and in place before you go out on leave." He heartily approved.

+ + + + + _A New Deputy_

Emma had made it into work, after a second 'real' breakfast of eggs, bacon, more toast (with jelly!), hash browns, and milk, all from the Diner, and was sitting at her laptop at the Sheriff's station. She was moving a little more slowly and desperately trying to catch up on paperwork. So much paperwork. Who would have thought that a small town sheriff's office would generate this much paperwork? Just look at last week's incidents reports:

Somebody had heard a noise.

It turned out to be a cat.

Somebody had seen somebody skulking around the edge of the yard.

It turned out to be a cat.

Somebody complained that teenagers were knocking things off their porch.

It turned out to be a cat.

Leroy had called.

His cat, Mr. Puss Puss Fluffy-Whiskers was missing.

She rolled her eyes. It was hard to keep her mind to the task and she visibly brightened when her new deputy came in.

"David!" she exclaimed. "Don't you look amazing?" She originally hadn't sure about the man's qualifications, but after having him out on the shooting range, she had been blown away by his marksmanship. She'd asked where he had learned to shoot and he had shrugged. No memory of learning to shoot.

They had also done a couple of rounds of hand-to-hand in the gym and Emma felt that he was pretty good at this too. Oddly, they had both called it quits pretty quickly after one of them had landed on the other. It just seemed uncomfortable. Emma figured it was because this was her former roommate's fella. _Although in the back of her mind was Henry's theory that this was her father, Prince Charming._

"Let me teach you the ropes," she began enthusiastically. "This is your desk. This is your chair. This is your cell phone. This is your desk phone. When either one of them rings, you answer, 'Storybrooke Police',"

David waited, "And?"

"That's pretty much it. Most things can be handled over the phone. Sometimes you have to get in the squad car and go check stuff out. Usually it's a cat, well, actually it's usually Leroy's cat. He's quite the escape artist and prone to mischief."

David was laughing. He was familiar with Leroy's cat. "How are you getting along?" he asked Emma.

"Great, now the nausea has stopped. A bit tired, but much better than I was."

They sat a moment in silence.

Emma asked, "I haven't seen too much of Mary Margaret. What is she up to?"

"Well, you knew that she hadn't gone back to the classroom; although maybe she will sometime. She's bringing in some money by cleaning up Gold's shop; he suggested she work for him after the whole murder accusation thing. Oh, did you know she started a blog about her experiences?

"No, I'll have to look for it."

"Well, it kinda turned into a _Storybrooke Enquirer_ newsletter, except she calls it _The Storybrooke Weekly News_. She's selling them in different places around town, right next to the _Daily Mirror_. She hasn't said, but I think Gold is encouraging her, maybe giving her some funding."

Emma nodded, "That sounds like him. He would have made her promise not to tell anyone or he'd cut his financial support. He does that a lot."

+ + + + + _Accident_

It was then a call came in. David had joked and asked, "May I?"

Emma nodded, "Sure."

David's face abruptly became very serious. He motioned to Emma to pick up on the extension. There had been a bicycle collision and a couple of kids were hurt. An ambulance was on the way. The accident had occurred nearby so Emma and David both vaulted up and hot-footed it over to the accident site.

She beat the ambulance there and her heart went into her mouth. It was Henry, lying on the ground, his bike bent sideways. The other child, wasn't that Paige? was standing by her own wreck of a bike, crying. She kept saying, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Emma checked on her son. He was alert and seemed to be intact. "Mom, I'm ok. I didn't break anything. Paige and I were racing and I hit a bump."

"Has anyone called Paige's parents?" Emma asked, as she dialed Gold to let him know and ask him to let Regina know. She told Gold to take the new cell phone she and Henry had picked out for him, reminding him to how to turn it on and, if it rang, how to swipe the answer bar. If he needed to call her, he needed to scroll over to the screen that had her picture on it and press the picture. Jeez, for an intelligent guy, Gold was remarkably technologically backward.

Some of the bystanders shook their heads. "Paige, honey," Emma called. "Dial your parents. I'll talk with them. You're going to the ER for a check-up too."

Emma talked with Paige's parents, assuring them that Paige seemed just fine, but thought it was a good idea for her to get checked out. Her parents would meet up with Emma and Paige at the hospital. David said he would interview witnesses before they could leave to see if he could get a clear picture of what happened. He promised he would take the bikes back to the Sheriff's station until parents could pick them up.

Emma calmed down the girl. Sitting in the back of the ambulance with Henry and the attendant, she talked with Paige on the way to the hospital. "It was kinda odd that both bikes were damaged when Henry hit a bump," she began.

Paige started crying again. "We were racing and I didn't want to go down the hill and I pulled up, Henry couldn't stop and ran into me. It's my fault he was hurt. All my fault."

Emma reassured the child. "It was an accident, Paige. I'm sure Henry's going to be just fine. "

Regina was not so calm when she came into the hospital. She wanted to know what had happened and whose fault it was. Henry should have been better supervised.

Gold had arrived by then, coming in just behind Regina. "Sounds like the kids were playing and had an accident. Not a big deal. Doesn't seem to be any permanent damage done."

"Have you talked with the doctor? Do you know that for certain?" Regina insisted on knowing.

Dr. Whale came up just then. "He's going to be fine. Some pretty bad bruising along his side and some serious road rash, but nothing broken. Ms. Paige is just fine also. Her parents wanted to thank you, Sheriff Gold." He pointed to the girl's parents.

Emma went over to talk with them. They shook her hand, thanking her in person. She filled them in with what Paige had shared about the accident. "It sounds like Paige is blaming herself and we'll need to work on that. I'm afraid that both bikes look totaled," she told them.

"But both children are fine. " Paige's mom took her aside. "I was so glad to hear Paige start talking about Henry. She's a sweet girl, but has not really had a best friend. Since Henry came to live with you and Mr. Gold, she and Henry seem to be spending more time together."

Emma had not been aware of this. She actually knew Paige as Grace, the beloved daughter of Jefferson, The Mad Hatter, a magician who had been tricked into Wonderland by The Evil Queen, trapped there until he could reproduce the magical hat that had allowed transport from one dimension to another. She knew all this, but not that her son and Paige had become friends.

"That's great! Henry's always been kind of alone too and I'm glad to hear he's made a friend."

Emma invited Paige to think about coming over for supper one evening (Yeah, she'd have to get Gold to cook). She turned away to re-connect with her husband who was in a heated debate with Regina.

"Seems both children are ok. Apparently, he and Paige are friends. I hadn't heard that Henry had any friends." Emma said to both of them.

"He has friends," Regina responded defensively. "And I was more careful when he was under my care."

Gold responded, "You were suffocating the child. Boys are meant to get out in the outdoors and rough house. They occasionally suffer accidents. He's going to be fine," Gold turned on Regina and asked her, "Do_ you_ need to get something for your nerves?"

Regina puffed up, irritated but not having anyone else around that she dared to vent her feelings upon. She turned to Henry who was bandaged up and who really seemed pretty happy about it.

"I didn't break anything," he explained to Regina.

Regina leaned forward and kissed Henry's forehead. "Are you sure you'll be ok, Henry?"

"Gee, I'm fine. I'm going to have some bruises and what Dr. Whale called 'road rash',"

Gold and Emma stood back and let the two talk. He pulled her close, "He_ is_ ok, isn't he?" he asked quietly.

Emma nodded. "He's fine. The bike's totaled. He's made friends with the girl," she informed her husband.

"So you'd said. I'm glad to hear that. He hadn't really seemed to have any friends."

"I thought it was a good thing too." Emma responded. "Hey, can you give me a lift back to the Sheriff's office? I just picked up and left and rode the ambulance to the hospital."

"Sure, let me have a word with Henry,"

Emma was left waiting and eventually she was joined by Regina. She had seemed so much more subdued since Gold had taken her powers, like somebody who had lost the use of their legs or their vision. Emma tried to reassure her, "I'm sure they'll release him and he'll be fine. Gold is going to take me back to the office and then come back. Why don't you wait with Gold and be sure."

Regina nodded. "I really miss him, you know. This shared custody has been very hard. My house seems so empty so much of the time."

Emma actually felt sorry for Regina, but knew if she shared her feelings with Gold, that he would laugh at her and tell her that Regina was manipulating her. Regina didn't miss Henry. She would have to care for the child for that to happen.

It had almost been six months and the three would soon be going back before the judge. Emma knew that Gold had every intention of pursuing full custody and giving Regina visitation only.

_NEXT: Emma blushes, _

_Emma has a dream,_

_Emma fails a test _


	2. Evening & Failing

_Thx to all. I've already had a couple of very nice reviews (always fun and always appreciated) – I just hope that I can keep up the pace and energy in a sequel._

_For the next couple of weeks, __I'm in class Tuesday and Wednesday nights—and right now, papers are due, so this means I have to reeeead them (not nearly as much fun as reading some of yall's stuff, I promise you!), so no updates anticipated until much later this week – well maybe Chapter Three where the pace picks up, if I can get to it. txm_

+ + + + + _Evening_

Gold had taken Emma back to her office and returned to the hospital to wait on Henry's release. Emma had checked her answering machine, but there had been no phone calls. David had eventually made it back to the office when Emma went onto the hospital and he told her all had been quiet except for a steady stream of calls with people asking for details about the accident. The witnesses confirmed that the two children had been racing and Paige had stopped short. They said there had been no way for Henry to avoid the collision, although it looked like he had tried to.

Emma's computer had gone to hibernate. When she cranked it back up, she noticed it was no longer in the file where she had left it, but didn't think more than twice about it. She went back to her paperwork, entering in the computer data files.

So it was late when she did finally get home. She first checked on Henry. Gold had set him up in the living room on the couch. He had brought down Henry's laptop to him. Gold had fixed him a light supper, some soup and a sandwich along with some hot tea. When Emma came in, her husband and son were playing cribbage together. Emma had never learned the game involving cards and a pegboard, but knew the two were well matched and enjoyed playing against each other. It was a game involving luck, strategy and skill, ideal for the two who had such similar minds, both enjoying puzzles and brainteasers (_and deals and contracts)_. Gold had set aside some soup for her and had all the sandwich fixings left out. Emma fixed herself a bowl and plate and joined the two.

"How are you doing, darling?" she asked her son.

Henry grinned at her. "I'm fine, mom. It hurts when I do this." He moved his arm up and down. Emma knew his arm, as well as the side of his body, was covered with deep scratches from the slide he had gone into with the fall.

"Don't do that," she said automatically, and grinned back at him.

The little family finished their supper and father and son completed their game. It was a quiet evening considering the excitement from earlier in the day. Later in the evening, Gold helped Henry up to his room, allowing the child to independently walk up the stairs, albeit stepping gingerly. Gold spotted him, but allowed him to go on his own.

Emma followed them up the stairs after cleaning up and turning things off. When she went by Henry's room she could hear that he and Gold were engaged in a quiet conversation about Paige. She rapped on the door and came in to kiss Henry goodnight.

"I'll come in and check on you later dear," she promised and she and Gold left the child to his dreams.

+ + + + + _Later that Evening_

"That was more excitement than I like to have," Gold remarked.

"Now you'd be bored if nothing happened," Emma observed.

"Perhaps, I had twenty-eight years of nothing happening, so I can tell you when something happens, it's usually not good."

"Is Regina ok? I know you spent some time talking with her."

"Regina is Regina. She's not happy, she will never be happy. You can only get so much enjoyment out of other people's misery and I think she's exhausted that avenue." Gold was getting ready for bed. "Let's not talk about unpleasant things. Come, get a shower with me," he pulled her into the master bathroom.

Emma allowed him to help her with her clothes. Their hot shower poured into a large hot tub with multiple jets. He helped her wash her hair and rinse it out, then pulled her down onto his lap while he sat on one of the benches inside the tub. She faced him and he positioned her so that she came down on top of him, abruptly and absolutely filling her. It was a gentle, tender joining but soon enough had Emma shivering and collapsing onto his chest.

Gold had become increasingly cautious with his pregnant wife, not wanting to endanger her or the baby, even though Emma continually assured him she and their daughter were doing just fine.

"You two are very precious to me, Emma. I don't want anything to happen to you."

He assisted her out of the tub and towel-dried her off.

"Let me take care of my hair," she asked him. "I'll join you in a moment." As she worked with a blow dryer on her golden locks, Emma thought back. Good grief, eight months ago, she had not had sex with anyone in what? two, almost three, years, and then there had been long lapses between each of her one-nighters. Now she was doing it usually at least twice a day, every evening, every morning and sometimes a third time during the night, not to mention nooners and afternooners and so forth. She would have thought she would have been exhausted, but was actually feeling energized.

She had a sudden intrusive thought and blushed. The creature in her dreams, Gold's alter-ego, while she didn't actually have sex with him, he had been known to bring her up and over the brink with his hands and, sometimes, with his magic. She thought of the first time it had happened with him, several months ago now. He had been angry with her for not letting him out and had wanted to show her that he had some power, some power over her, and as she was attempting to leave he had begun to caress her magically. She'd had to stop in her tracks and tried to pull herself together, but the sensations had become more intense and had quickly taken her over, leaving her gasping and throbbing. He had laughed at her and then told her that she belonged to him, that he would never let her go. She had not gone back to him for awhile

+ + + + + _Dream_

But tonight there was a return to the cavern and to the creature. Since she had broken the Red Feather, his powers had dramatically increased. Although still not able to open the cage, he was now able to bring things into his cage and had worked diligently to improve his conditions. He had laid a wooden floor over the stone and then placed multiple fine carpets over the wood. He had brought in a bed, one with a soft mattress and velvet covers and pillows. He had brought in a comfortable chair with lanterns and books for company. He brought in a variety of fruit and other fresh foods. _What the hell he had been eating during the past twenty-eight year? She had no idea._ Where all these things came from, well, he had shrugged when Emma had asked him.

"It's not like anyone is using these things," he had explained. "You and I are the only ones here, right now."

This evening, when she realized where she was, she approached the cage cautiously. The last few visits had not been pleasant. "Hello," she called out. She had learned that he always knew she was there and no amount of sitting quietly and trying to be unnoticed would keep her presence a secret.

"Hello Princess. Let me out?"

She didn't even bother to answer him. He always had the same two requests.

"Guess my name,"

"Rupert," she'd been at this for five months with no luck. She wasn't a hundred percent sure the name started with "R," just that Gold used that as his first initial and that was the best thing she had for a cue.

"No," he laughed his high-pitched maniacal laugh he often had. "How is our daughter?"

"She fine. She's moving around a lot."

He came right to the cage bars. "May I, please?" he held out his gnarled, black-nailed hand. The claw-like appendage had always repelled her. She had developed some toleration for his hands over time, but always, her initial response was to pull back. "Please, Princess, please." His almost painful eagerness and interest in the child always touched her. If he was to be believed, this creature was also Gold, was also the father of her children, although he bore only the most minimal resemblance to her husband. Yet he knew everything that Gold knew. And Gold had acknowledged that this was his alter-ego, his second-self. It still bothered her on a visceral level.

Emma took a deep breath and approached the cage and the creature. He laid his hand on her stomach and she felt the baby move. He did too.

"Thank you, Princess." He seemed genuinely grateful. "This makes my day bearable as nothing else can."

"Why am I here?" she asked. She had learned that her appearance here was not random. There was always some reason, for him or for her.

The creature pulled back and laughed. "Why do you think there would be a reason?"

"There is always a reason, Creature. Always. You brought me here. Why?"

"Just for company. I get lonely, so lonely. I miss you. I like to talk with you. You are the only one who comes to see me anymore." He did sound lonely.

She shook her head, "That's not it. You are connected with Gold and partake in everything that he does. You are never alone."

The creature drew back. "Not true, not true. We are connected, but I am still alone here. So alone." He retreated to the back of the cavern, now well-lit and furnished comfortably. He sat in his chair, peeved with her. "Go away if you plan to be unkind," he waved his hand at her.

She relented. "I'll stay."

He grinned at her. "Then tell me how it's going. How is Henry? He was hurt. How is he doing? Tell me about his little friend. How is the election going?" He hit her with a barrage of questions.

"Henry is fine. He's recovering nicely, as expected. His new friend is a very nice little girl. The election is going slowly, but I suspect things will pick up closer to the vote. No dirty tricks coming out just yet, but I'm expecting something"

The creature vaulted abruptly to the cage bars, startling her. "Something is coming. Something is about to happen. Be careful Emma. Be careful. Trust no one."

"Alright," she said, not sure what else to say. "I'll be careful."

"Good, very good." The creature sat back down. "Bring me anything?"

"No, I didn't know I was coming. What can I bring you next time?"

"A cone would be nice, a nice cone, yes, a cone, please." The creature asked. "Now kiss me Princess, kiss me goodbye. It's time for you to go back."

She took another deep breath. She had learned to be tolerant of his kisses. They really weren't so bad and absolutely reminded her of Gold's expert kisses, complete with cinnamon. Sometimes when he was in the mood, he would put his hands on her, sometimes pulling her into him as close as the bars would allow, sometimes reaching up between the bars to try to caress a breast. Sometimes he would try to put his hand between her thighs. She had pulled back the first time he tried this and he had laughed at her. He had teased her, "Soon, soon, you will welcome my touch, if not in this world, then with Gold."

This time, he just kissed her. The last thing she remembered was him whispering to her, "Listen to Henry's little friend. She is very wise."

+ + + + + _Emma Fails_

Gold was there when she woke up with warm tea and toast. He hesitated, "You had another dream." he said it, not as a question.

"Yes. I'm still trying to guess your name, with no luck." She made a face at him. "And he still wants me to let him out. And he warned me that something was about to happen with the election. And I should trust no one. And I should listen to Paige."

"All that? Interesting." Gold observed, leaning in to kiss her. "I could've told you that. Let's practice. Try it," directed Gold. He placed a spoon at the bottom of the bed.

Emma sat up in bed and tried to move the spoon from the bottom of the bed up to her hand just using her mind.

Gold watched her with a dubious look on his face. He had previously assured her that she had latent magical talents, and was trying to get her to access these. So far the previous attempts at moving objects had been busts.

"This is stupid. No one can do this," she was irritated and thought the whole thing was stupid and he was stupid and she was stupid and the spoon was stupid.

"Try it again," directed Gold patiently.

"I feel like a cut rate magician or some type of telekinetic freak or maybe I should say a telekinetic non-freak."

"Try it again," directed Gold.

"Ok." Emma closed her eyes and squished up her face, tensing her muscles, tensing her brain. She reached out her hand and wiggled her fingers. All to no effect.

"That's not how it's done." He informed her.

"No shit," Emma said. "Can you do this?" she challenged him.

Gold held out his hand and the spoon flew into it.

"Now you do it," he directed, absentmindedly rubbing his thigh. _All magic has a price._

"Oh my God! I just got the willies! That is amazing! How can you do stuff like this and you can't figure out how to work a cell phone or turn on a computer?"

"Technology is truly creepy." Gold responded. "Your son got the magic after just a couple of attempts," he told her.

"You've been doing magic with Henry?"

"Yes, and the difference is that he actually believes. Whereas, you are a skeptic," he lectured her. "And as long as you are a skeptic, you will not succeed. Keep working on it," he ordered, putting the spoon back at the bottom of the bed. He left to go into the bathroom to finish get ready for the day.

Emma stuck her tongue out at his back. She heard him call back to her, "I saw that. Very petty, Emma, very petty. And not respectful toward your husband at all. If you weren't pregnant, I'd be beating you now."

Emma sighed and almost smiled. Medieval, sometimes medieval. The man was incorrigible.

He ducked his head back into the bedroom. "We don't have time this morning, do we?"

She knew what he was referring to. She had to get herself up and dressed, Henry up and dressed. Everyone some breakfast and, finally, Henry off to school. She shook her head.

He sighed. "Maybe I can catch you at lunch, if we both have slow days."

Emma sighed. "I have to meet with David Nolen to look over my records. We're starting the review of financial stuff today with Blate Coy, the nice little guy who works on computers."

"Maybe you won't be too long," he said hopefully

_NEXT Gold encounters an old enemy_

_Emma faces an audit _


	3. An Old Enemy

Chapter Three

+ + + + + _An Old Enemy_

As Gold toward his pawn shop that same morning, he saw a small figure kneeling in front of his store. He could tell it was a woman and. . . a nun. _What was she doing?_ As he drew near, he could see she was working in the small patch of ground outside of his front door. He sighed.

It was traditional for the nuns to plant flowers outside of storefronts in Storybrooke. In the past, they would come to his shop very early in the morning to avoid contact with him _and he had been just fine with that._ But since he had made his anonymous donations to their building fund, to surreptitiously help with Henry's custody case, he had become their new best friend. He hated it. All the sisters would curtsey to him and smile. It was what he had been afraid of. They weren't scared of him anymore.

As he closed on the sister, he stopped for a moment, his heart hardening, his eyes narrowing. He recognized her. She was_The One. _

He knew when she turned around that she would have skin like alabaster, smooth and creamy, and eyes, her eyes would be pools of purple, large and luminous. She would have a smile that would light up a room and a laugh that sounded like bells. She would be beautiful, so beautiful that she would take a man's breath away.

If it had been B. E. (Before Emma), he would have smiled at her and taken her into his shop for a cup of tea. Falling under his own compulsion, his own promise, he would then have drugged her and, later likely under cover of night, he would have carried her through town to his house and finally deposited her into his dungeon. There he would have stripped her and put her in his chains. He would likely have beaten her and raped her. . . repeatedly. He had killed as many of her sisters as he could, first going after The Three. But this one, he had not tried to kill. She was special. She was The One. She didn't deserve death. She deserved punishment.

He took a deep breath. He unclenched his fists. He took another deep breath. He closed his eyes and opened them again. It was not Before Emma. It was now. Emma would never understand. She would certainly never approve. He would lose Emma if he acted on this. He would lose everything that he had worked for. He would have to let her be. He would have to let her go. But could he let her go? The compulsion was strong, very strong. He had never broken his word. But things were different now, Weren't they?

She turned and, shyly, timidly, she smiled at him. It took his breath away.

+ + + + + _Gold Remembers_

_It was soon, very soon after I had come into my powers. I was still living in my home village with my son. I was just beginning to understand the depth and scope of my abilities. I was using them just to improve our lot, to get better food, warmer blankets, those types of things. I had not begun to bargain, to deal with other people. It had not even occurred to me that I could do that and get so much more than I might be able to secure on my own._

_Then _she_ came. The most beautiful woman I had ever seen, one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen in my entire very long life. She was. . . not human. Her skin was a pale purple-pink, lilac, she told me later. Her hair the color of pale ash, her eyes deep purple. She seemed to glide and the air around her was sweet and fresh, lightly perfumed with her own scent. The entire village had seen her. How could they have not? She came right to my door and called for me, by name. I came out of my humble hut, astonished and amazed, but even more astonished and amazed when she bowed low to me._

"'_Dark One'," now she named me differently from 'Rumplestiltskin'. "I have come to greet you, to welcome you, to render what aid I can to you."_

_I had no idea what to say to her. I stood like the country bumpkin I was, open-mouthed, probably drooling, not knowing what to do, what to say. She smiled at me and I was lost in her gaze, hypnotized like a rabbit before a wolf. I remember that she held out both of her hands to me and asked if she could come into my house. I agreed, of course, I agreed. I felt. . . embarrassed. I didn't have a room fine enough for her to stand in. I didn't have a chair fine enough for her to sit in. a cup fine enough for her to drink from. I felt . . . not good enough._

_She seemed to understand but not to mind at all. She behaved like a lady would in the presence of a king and all his riches. "You are so kind," she said to me. "To have me into your home." I remember thinking how gracious, how thoughtful she was. I was totally enamored, completely glamorized, absolutely in love with her. As I think back, I believe it likely that she had bespelled me. She probably bespelled everyone she came into contact with, just because it was her nature to do so. _

_She told me that she knew I was new to my powers and she and her eleven sisters wanted to make sure that I was welcomed into the magical community. _

_She sat in my home and I didn't know what to do. Again, she seemed to understand and slowly, carefully, she began to question me. She wanted to know what types of magic I had figured out I could do. She wanted to see me work some magic, like moving myself around the room, bringing things to myself without touching them, the simplest levels all of which I managed without effort. "Anything else?" she asked and smiled her beautiful smile. I knew I was strong, very strong. Also my leg had healed and all pain gone away. I hadn't tried healing others, but thought I could if I tried. She seemed impressed. _

_It went this way for several days. I showed her everything I could do. I believed her. I trusted her. I even tried some new things at her request. She was so kind, so nice, so beautiful. I thought she was so far above me. She was a magical being with so much power that I could scarcely imagine._

_I did not know, how could I know? _

Gold shook himself. He had gone into the reverie sitting in his shop. He hadn't thought of her in a very long time. But seeing her now had brought back the old memories.

Bitch.

Lying,

Treacherous,

Deceitful

Bitch.

+ + + + + _The Audit_

It was several days later. Henry had healed up enough to go back to school and had transferred over to Regina's care. Knowing how hard it was to part with Henry, Gold had promised to come by later to take her to lunch.

Emma had gone into her office early. As part of maintaining the office, she had requested an audit of the sheriff's office finances and employed Blate Coy, a shy, little guy who seemed to have both a background with computers and with accounting. They had been working on the books for a couple of days now. She had intended to be at the office this morning before they got started, but had gotten another emergency cat call. She'd left a note for David and Blate as she went off to chase down Mr. Puss Puss. Apparently his attention had been caught by a blue-eyed, seal-point Siamese, a Mistress Ling Ling, and he had been serenading his lady-love to the dissatisfaction and consternation of the neighborhood.

When she finally corralled the love-sick feline and taken him back to Leroy, it was already late midmorning.

Time for a snack.

After a quick stop at the Diner for refreshments, she made it into the office and found David and Blate were already reviewing her financial records.

"That's got to be boring," Emma observed and meted out coffee for the two men who were bent over a computer. She opened a box of assorted pastries and added a pile of napkins. She plopped her laptop on the desk, opened it up and started it up.

"Uh, Sheriff Gold, we have found something that we're not sure how to explain." Blate was reluctant to speak up.

"Ok, what's up?" Emma sat down. She was munching on a bear claw she had pulled out of the box.

He was very hesitant and finally David spoke up. "We're finding that about the time you took office, someone began siphoning off small amounts of money from the public funds."

"What? How could they do that? How much is gone?"

"They would have had to have access to the public account which would require a password. The amount, well, it's now quite abit," David continued.

"How much?"

David took a deep breath, "Twenty thousand dollars."

"Oh my word! Twenty thousand dollars has been embezzled?"

"That's what it looks like, right now." David was still hesitating. "It's worse."

"How could it be worse? Twenty thousand dollars gone."

"It's shown up in your personal account."

"What?" Emma had stopped eating. "I don't have a personal account."

It was Blate's turn to talk. "Well there is one in your name. The password is "Henry" plus four digits of his date of birth – a hacker's nightmare. Let me show you what we've got. This is a printout of the sheriff's budget. I've printed out in red the missing amounts. Now, I got a printout of your, uh, what is listed as your personal account."

"Uh, Blate, I don't have any bank accounts. When I got the deputy's job, I would just cash my money. And after I married Gold, well he takes my check and deposits it, I guess, into a joint account."

David said. "I'm not sure what's happened then. The withdrawals from the sheriff's budget have been going on for some time. And the money showing up in 'your' account is the same as the withdrawals."

Emma shook her head. "We going to need to come clean with this,"

"First though, we need to find out who is responsible," said David. "Right now, you look pretty guilty."

"Anyway we can find out how this money got transferred. Maybe if we knew that, we could figure out who had been doing it," she said hopefully.

"That would be good to find out," agreed Blate. "I'm going to poke around and see what I can find. Can I borrow your computer? You will have a history on it that I can access."

"Uh, ok," Emma handed over her laptop. She wasn't sure what to do. Coming clean was her initial impulse, but she had been around Gold long enough to try to think things through. "How do we find out who did this?"

"We need to find out where the money went after it was taken out of the city account. We need to find out who has had access to the account that is in your name," said Blate.

"Well," Emma thought through. "Myself and. . . the Mayor would have access to the city account."

David spoke up, "Why am I not surprised to find that Regina is involved."

Blate had been working on Emma's computer. "OK, a little good news. You accessed both the city account and the personal account for the first time a few days ago on this computer. That means, had it been you, that you would not have been accessing it, until very recently on this computer. Do you have any other computers?"

"Well, we got Henry one a couple of months ago, and, I promise you, I've never accessed either account from his computer" Emma shared.

"I'll want to check that one out. Have you left this computer on and unattended any in the past couple of days?" Blate asked.

"No, I always shut it down. Oh wait. When I got word that there had been an accident with children involved, I just got up and left." Emma thought it through. "And yeah, when I came back, it was on a different screen. I thought it was alittle odd, but didn't worry about it."

"Who knew about the accident?"

"Well, I don't know. The ambulance people. I called Gold and he called Regina. I also called Paige's parents. There were a bunch of witnesses."

David observed, "Regina again. She could have had someone come in, access both accounts, just to leave a footprint."

Blate agreed. "It wouldn't have taken very long."

"Has any of the money been spent?" Emma asked.

Blate looked at David and cleared his throat. "Yes ma'am. Someone has filled up with gas a few times, but most of the purchases have been made at an. . . uh. . . appliance store."

"Like toasters and blenders?"

Blate was blushing and David stepped in and explained, "An _adult_ appliance store."

Emma shook her head, not understanding. "You mean like stoves and refrigerators?"

"I mean like _adult_ appliances."

Emma stood a moment before understanding dawned. "Ee. . . uu,"

"Those purchases started after your marriage to Mr. Gold."

Emma rubbed her fingers on the sides of her head. "Oh lord, I've got to tell Gold."

Right on cue, she heard Gold say, "Tell me what?"

No one had heard him come in. All three turned to him and both David and Blate stepped back. What was it about the man that people just automatically pulled back from him, like he was a threat? Emma never knew if he intentionally set out to intimidate people, if he just had that aura about him that made people give way or what. Emma fielded the question.

She explained in a rush. "Someone has gotten into the city account and taken money out and put it into an account with my name on it and they started buying sex toys with the money after we got married."

Gold didn't say anything for a moment. "Who has access to the city account?"

"Me and Regina," Emma answered.

"Sir, we can show that Sheriff Gold didn't use her personal computer for this activity. I'll want to check your son's computer to verify that it wasn't used." Blate spoke up, abit out of character.

"Very good," said Gold. "So we also need you to check Regina's computers, including the one that Henry has at her home to see if the activity occurred there. We need to get you into her house."

"Now Gold, I don't want us to start doing something illegal. We can get a court order," Emma protested.

"Remember how well that has worked out for you before when dealing with Regina," cautioned Gold. "Blate, David, I'm going to get Regina out of the house tonight for two hours. Henry can let you in. Will that give you enough time?"

While Emma sputtered about the legality, the usefulness, the ethics of what her husband was proposing, the other two men were nodding in agreement.

"No problem, sir. I should be able to track down everything in two hours," Blate assured him.

"Excellent. Let me make a phone call to our honorable mayor." He grinned at his wife. "She and I need to talk about the upcoming custody agreement. Say a seven o'clock appointment. I'll buy her supper. Emma, you'll need to show me how to use this damn thing again," he said, pulling out the cell phone. "And, my dear, you'll be on your own for supper tonight." Gold was headed out the door. He glanced at the box of pastries, and asked, abit bemused, "Are you ready for lunch, dearie?"

She nodded eagerly. "Yeah, that was my midmorning snack, so lunch sounds good," and she started out with him.

David asked as Gold was leaving, "Sir, are you sure you can keep her occupied for two hours?"

Gold stopped, looked at him and just slightly smirked, but said nothing, turned and exited the door.

Emma turned to follow her husband and explained as he walked off, "I promise you that man can easily keep any woman occupied for two hours," and she added in a whisper, "and I can assure that he doesn't need any 'adult appliances' to do it."

_NEXT: The creature makes a request_

_Gold gets his way_

_Henry makes a move_


	4. Threat and Promise

_OK, have had a couple of lovely reviews (always appreciated). _

_Also, any reader suggestions for the baby girl's name would be considered – Gold is going to want her to have two names – one that she is called by and a 'true name.' thx txm_

Chapter Four

+ + + + + _Threat and Promise_

Emma was in her nightgown sitting on the couch, eating take-out pizza, not happy, not comfortable with all that she knew was going on. She would have much preferred to get a search warrant and go after the computers. She was sure Regina was pilfering funds and then setting her up to take the fall. In fact, it looked like Regina had started the pilfering right after Emma had become sheriff and had just bided her time until there was an occasion for her to use it against Emma, like when Emma was running against her for mayor.

It was fortunate that she, Emma, had asked for an audit of the records when she did. She thought back. Actually Gold had suggested it, to make sure everything was on the up and up prior to getting into the heat of the election. Thank goodness that he had. If this had shown up closer to the election they might not have had time to get it properly investigated. As it was, Emma would be able to make the first strike.

But right now, knowing that her husband was sitting with Regina, in public, sharing food with her, well that also did not make her happy or comfortable. She knew that Regina still had feelings for Gold and would be willing to offer him anything _anything_, he might want in the hopes of regaining all or part of her powers. _Hell, she'd probably be willing to stumpf the man just to see the look on Emma's face. _And Emma wasn't quite sure how Gold felt about the beautiful mayor. Regina had been a former mistress of the man and they had a volatile history. As Emma was beginning to feel fatter and fatter with the pregnancy, she had to wonder if Gold might find Regina's trim, svelte figure more appealing. She sat on the couch and fretted. And ate another piece of pizza.

She looked around to find herself in the cavern. _Damn._

"I thought you might come," the creature said to her. "Poor Emma, you are wondering if Gold if true and faithful."

Why bother to deny it, "Yeah. Regina really is beautiful."

"Yes, she is. Very beautiful. And she will be on her best behavior tonight with your husband. She will be sweet and compliant and accommodating. You are wondering if he will resist her charms. You are wondering if he can resist her charms." He was baiting her, laughing at her concerns.

She shrugged, not rising to him. "I just have to have faith, Creature." She tried to change the topic. "Is it Reginald?"

"Nope," the creature grinned at her. "Let me out?"

She shook her head and smiled. 'Nope, not tonight." She came over and sat on a rock next to his cage. "Hey, can you get me a comfortable chair to sit in, like the one you have?" she asked, adding, "please?"

He seemed delighted that she would ask anything of him and with a wave of his hand, a comfortable chair, very like the one he had produced for himself appeared. "Very nice, Princess. Very polite. Please sit, be comfortable."

"Would you tell me if Gold was unfaithful?" she asked hopefully.

"If you would let me out," he responded promptly.

"No." Emma almost laughed, he was so endearingly persistent. "I'll just have to trust Gold."

"Alright dearie." He sat back down. "You know, there are no good choices for you. If you ask him, he'll be angry. If you go to Regina, she will make you think he nailed her," he paused, "more than once." He waited a moment longer. "If you do nothing, it will eat your heart out. You'll wonder and wonder, but you won't know."

Emma knew he was taunting her. "I'll just have to learn to live with it," she replied calmly. She heard the creature laughing at her. "Did you just bring me here just to gloat at me, to tease me, to aggravate me?"

He didn't respond at first. She heard him speak softly, "Emma,"

Her ears perked up. He rarely called her 'Emma,' unless there was something up. She waited.

"Emma. I'm having a problem."

She responded promptly (and probably a little bit surly), "Just one?"

"One right now," his voice was soft. "You can help me."

"What do you need?"

"Release, fulfillment, closeness to you."

Emma glanced over to him. He gestured at his crotch which was definitely straining against his breeches. He grinned at her. "This is your fault, Princess."

Emma sighed. This was too personal and too freaky _and a little disgusting_. She absolutely wasn't ready for a more physical relationship with the creature, for all that he was supposed to be Gold. Besides there were bars and a baby between them, so even if, by some significant lapse in her judgment, she had been interested, it would be difficult to manage.

The creature was still grinning at her. "Oh come, Princess, you've been gracious enough to provide Gold with release, many, many times, using that pretty mouth of yours. Would you never consider granting me the same favors?"

_Yuk! _She hadn't thought of that. Emma shook her head. "You are still a monster to me. I can't get beyond what you look like," she said honestly _and unable to stop herself she wondered, would 'it' be green-gold like the rest of him._.

He may very well have read her thought. "I've been with many human women. The ones that were willing were most complimentary and even some of the ones that weren't willing seemed . . . satisfied."

"You've been with women who weren't willing?"

"I've had women who were bartered to me by their brothers, or fathers, or even their husbands. As payment, you understand." At Emma's disgusted, outraged expression, he shrugged. "Different time, different place. Desperation drove them. That medieval mind set I believe you accused Gold of, there is a reason for it. It is what we were, what we are." The creature smiled at her and continued. "Now, Emma, you tolerate my kisses. I think sometimes you even respond to me." When she didn't respond, he continued, "If not your mouth, how about your hand. It wouldn't take much tonight."

"Ick, I'm sorry, but . . . no," she shook her head again. "Please, I'm so sorry. I just can't. You don't look . . . human and I know you and Gold say you are the same, but you don't look the same, you don't sound the same or even act the same."

The creature stopped grinning. "You still think of me as a monster, yes." He considered. "It's the green skin, isn't it? That just shows my powers. Most of us who have magic in this realm will show it. Have you not looked at yourself?"

Emma immediately held out her arms expecting to see green-gold sparkles on them. She didn't see anything out of the ordinary.

She heard the creature laugh. "No, no, dearie. Look at yourself in a mirror," and he waved his hand. There was a full length mirror on a stand in front of her. She rose and warily approached it. She had not seen herself in this realm and was surprised. Her hair was longer, more golden, more curly. Her skin seemed translucent, almost glowing, but not unnatural.

"As you gain greater access to your talents, you will change more and more," he said softly.

"Am I going to turn green-gold like you? "

He shrugged again. "Possibly, but more likely I think you will just be golden and sparkly."

"Was Regina green in this world, like you?"

He smiled and shook his head. "She has always put a glamour over herself to hide the magic." He thought a moment, "I don't know what she might look like were she to allow her true self to show through." The creature got up from his chair. "Would you be more accepting of me if I were to look more like a human?" He waved his hands and a somewhat younger version of Gold stood before her, dressed in the creature's clothes.

He spoke, " Princess, your humble servant," and he bowed with his customary flourish.

Emma nearly gasped. This was not what she was expecting. Handsome, attractive, she could see how this man was Henry's father. A slender man who projected a sense of compact, explosive power. Beautiful brown eyes. He looked kinder and gentler than Gold, but was nonetheless very much like Gold. . . and less like the creature. He was watching her closely.

"This is better?" he asked, his voice reflecting the soft Scottish burr of Gold's.

"You are very pretty this way. Is this what you really look like?"

"No, this is what I used to look like, before the dagger, before the power. It is not how I really look and takes me some effort to maintain." He had a sudden thought. "Perhaps I should borrow some of Regina's magic for this; she finds this easy to do." He lifted his hand and fingered the silver ring with the blackened crystal, one that exactly mirrored the one that Gold wore, the one that encased Regina's powers. He raised his hand and gestured for her to approach him. "You would be more willing to touch me if I looked like this?"

"Please," she shook her head. "I just haven't quite yet accepted that you are my husband. I guess I feel like I'm betraying him." She smiled at him and admitted, "But you are more do-able looking like this."

_Ever practical Emma. _She leaned in to kiss the creature and was surprised when his hands grasped her shoulders and pulled her as close as the bars and her stomach would allow. The kiss was deeper and harsher than any he had given her before.

He pulled away from the kiss momentarily. "You know, Princess, I will make you pay for every moment you've kept me in need," he whispered. "You will pay tenfold. If you weren't pregnant now, I would take some sweet revenge on your body." He had changed back into the creature. "Soon enough Emma, soon enough."

+ + + + + _Emma Gets Distracted_

The sound of the phone ringing woke Emma up. She struggled up and answered it.

It was David. "We got it! Blate's a genius. It was on Regina's home computer. One that no one else would have access to, filed under 'vacation plans'. We down loaded everything, got hard copies."

"Not admissible in court," Emma reminded him. "Listen, you had come over to drop off a computer program with Henry and trying it out on Regina's computer, you stumbled on some suspicious information indicating that she had access to a checking account with my name on it. I need you to know that is what I'm going to tell the judge."

The sound of the front door opening and closing caught her attention next. It was Gold. He saw her on the couch, empty pizza box, and shook his head. Emma said goodbye to David and greeted her husband.

"You're not taking care of my daughter," he informed her.

"We're fine. And David called. They've got it. Everything was on Regina's computer. How did it go with her?"

He came and sat down with her, stroking her shoulders. "It was fine. Uhmm. I should probably tell you. . . " he hesitated.

"What?"

"Regina is sure to let you know."

"What?"

He sighed.

"What?" She was almost ready to pinch the man.

"I returned some of Regina's powers to her," he dropped his eyes.

"What? Why would you do that?"

He shrugged. "She was very persuasive and very accommodating. She is agreeable to allowing you and me to have full custody with visitation."

Emma was relieved to hear this, but still concerned. She asked, "OK, this is good news. What power did you return to her?"

He licked his lips. Emma yawned. She was sleepy and disheveled, with her eyes darkened from fatigue, her hair tumbling down in ringlet curls around her shoulders and her body soft and yielding. She was wearing a sumptuous champagne colored silky nightgown that he had bought for her. It set off her darkened eyes, her tousled hair, her smooth, soft skin. He really didn't want to talk about Regina right now. He began to pull her towards him, but she raised her arms to block him.

"What power?" she asked again.

He wasn't going to be able to avoid this. He crushed her to him, trapping her arms between them, pressing her down beneath him into the couch. "I'm allowing her to keep her looks."

"What? That's all?" Emma was struggling against him, trying to sit up to no avail. He was nuzzling her and had begun to pull off her night clothes.

"I know Regina well and I know what's important to her," he murmured, trying to distract his bride, but coming up against her indignation and irritation.

"That was all you gave her?"

"Hummmm," he had managed to pull her nightgown down below her swollen breasts and was now attending to these with kisses and caresses. The nipples had quickly responded to his touch and he could tell she was beginning to have some difficulties ignoring his attention. He dropped one hand to unfasten his own pants and free himself.

"Uhm," she was struggling to keep talking, trying desperately to ignore his administrations. "How could she do that? I mean, it's like she traded Henry for her looks!" she was still ranting.

Gold decided to approach the matter more directly and lowered his mouth to hers, swallowing whatever other snide remarks, unkind thoughts and hurtful phrases his wife might have to offer regarding his ex-mistress. _Ah yes,_ he thought, _he finally had her attention. _He turned her, putting her back to him and tilting her forward, he began to push himself into her. She protested briefly, still apparently thinking about Regina _and not him._

"Not ready," he heard her protesting. He slowed his efforts but persisted, knowing she would be unable to resist him and would respond to him soon enough. He pulled her shoulders back up, knowing this wasn't as comfortable for her initially but this position allowed him to reach around her, to massage her core and would quickly have her in a fevered aroused state. It worked _finally._

It was later and Emma had dozed off in his arms. He was still cradling her, still stroking her soft, smooth skin, still breathing in her sweet vanilla smell. There was something else, but he didn't tell her. He took a deep breath and drew on his magic. He picked up his wife and carried her upstairs to their bed.

+ + + + + _An Old Compulsion_

The little nun was back at his garden again, pulling weeds and adding more plants. She seemed very nervous around Gold and, although she smiled at him, she didn't speak. He took a deep breath and managed to nod at her. He wanted. . . he wanted to put shackles on her, iron ones that would tear and mar that perfect skin. He wanted to put a slave collar on her. He had once before. He had promised that he would do it again.

_The Lilac Fairy, for of course she was a fairy, one of the twelve very magical fairy god-mothers, had been so kind and helpful at first. She wanted to see how I was managing my powers. She asked me if I knew how to do certain things, like move objects, start fires, simple things, all of which I could do. But then the tasks became more difficult. Could I transport myself? Could I change things from one form to another? Could I do this? Could I do that? _

_I couldn't do those things, not at first. I didn't know that I could, so I couldn't. She was so kind, so gentle. She said she wanted to show me how to do some things. She wanted to be sure my talents were developing and growing. I thought, I thought, she was going to help me. She was so nice. So nice._

Gold shook himself. He thought this would not be a problem, not here, not after so long. The old geas was still operating, still controlling him. He poured himself a drink. He needed help.

+ + + + + _Emma Helps_

"Emma, I need to talk with you," Gold came into the Sheriff's office.

She looked up from paperwork. "Yes dear. What's up?"

"I have a problem," he announced.

Emma bit her tongue. She was not going to ask him , "Just one?" Instead she said, "Yes, dear?"

He sat for a moment, staring out. The silence grew uncomfortable.

"Yes, dear?" she said again.

"I don't know where to begin."

"At the beginning?"

He looked at her with some irritation. "I need help with breaking a curse."

"Another one or the Storybrooke Curse?"

"Another one," he confided.

She had stopped trying to work. "Have you been drinking?"

He blew out a stream of air, "Yes."

She was surprised. She had never known him to take a drink other than with food or the occasional after-dinner repast. She leaned forward and kissed him soundly on the mouth, "Would this help?" she asked.

It was his turn to be surprised. "True love's kiss?"

She smiled at him, "Well, we are getting there, aren't we?"

He smiled back at her. "I guess we are."

"Did it work?"

"I don't know, I don't know." He couldn't tell. "Emma, I need to tell you about some really awful things that I've done. Because of these things, these awful things, I was put under a geas."

At Emma's baffled expression, he explained, "A compulsion, a requirement to make deals and to keep my promises."

Emma considered what he said. "I know you make a lot of deals and pride yourself on never breaking your word."

"Over the years, I have learned how to make deals that benefit myself and learned so many, so many ways to keep my word, to twist things on the turn of a phrase, to keep track of small words that make a big difference." He sat for a moment. "A long time ago, a very long time ago, I made a promise, a bad promise, to hurt someone. I thought it wouldn't matter anymore. It was so long ago." He rubbed his face into his hands. "Then I saw her and all the feelings came back." Emma looked at him with alarm. He seemed to be trembling. He looked at Emma. "The compulsion, the requirement is so strong."

"What can I do?" asked Emma.

"I was hoping you could tell me something to do,"

"Let me understand. You made a promised to hurt someone?"

"For revenge, because of what she had done to me."

"But now, you don't want to go through with it?"

"You would not approve of me going through with it. You would not understand. You would likely feel like you have to arrest me."

"You would still like to go through with it, though, if there were no consequences?"

Gold hesitated and dropped his eyes. "Yes, Emma, I would."

"Well then, that's the problem isn't it?"

"I don't understand," he was genuinely puzzled.

"I think if you were genuinely reluctant to through with this revenge, you wouldn't have to. If you were really, truly sorry, you wouldn't be feeling the compulsion to go through with your promise."

Gold sat back, "Well, then, I'm screwed, aren't I?" He ran his fingers through his hair.

"Maybe not. Maybe you could make another promise."

He looked at her.

"You could promise me to put the older promise on hold. That you wouldn't hurt this woman as long as you had me and the children in your life."

He considered. "That might help. It doesn't break the curse and it doesn't negate the older promise. It just puts it off for a while. . . the turn of a phrase," He thought awhile. "I can do that. I promise you that I will not commit mayhem on the little Lilac Fairy while you and the children are in my life. I promise that I will not try to kill any of the other fairies while you and the children are in my life." He rose to go back to his shop. "It would be better if you could figure out how to break the geas, but I think it will have to be between you and my counterpart." He gave her a quick kiss and left, seemingly relieved.

+ + + + + _Seeking a Search Warrant_

Now that her husband had left Emma turned back to her job. She had the records in front of her. On Regina's computer was the history of her pilfering funds from the city treasury and putting them into an account with Emma's name on it, and then the data appearing on Emma's computer, beginning the day Emma had left her computer up. Emma called the judge.

+ + + + + _Henry Makes a Move _

Henry thought that Paige was the prettiest, smartest, nicest girl in fourth grade. So did all the other boys. He was continually surprised that she had sought him out to be her friend. They started out riding bikes together, then began doing homework together, then just spending time with each other. She seemed to _understand_ things.

Henry had asked his mother if he could have her come over to the Sheriff's office after school. He was planning on doing math and social studies homework with her and, if they had time, maybe he would try to teach her cribbage. He was hoping it would be ok if she stayed for supper. Emma had cleared it with Gold, who would have to be the cook since she was hopeless and once she crossed that bridge, Emma made sure it was ok with Paige's parents.

Emma knew that Paige was not their "real" daughter, that her real father was Jefferson, the Mad Hatter, a magical man who had been tricked into going into Wonderland and then had been trapped there by Regina, long ago. Jefferson had loved his daughter so much, had recognized that she was happy with her adoptive parents and had not wanted to upset her world. He had wanted Emma to create a new magical hat to allow him to transport himself back into Fairytale Land and had wanted Emma to end to curse so that he could have his life and his daughter back.

Emma had found his story in Henry's book and had been thoroughly creeped out by it. She had shared it with Gold who was, of course, quite familiar with Jefferson's case.

"He has some interesting talents. I had considered talking with him, at one point, to see if he could help me find my son. But I found out the hat would only let however many passed through to whatever world, well it would only let the same number pass back through."

"And you didn't want to strand someone who had helped you in some other world." Emma was feeling a moment of pride in her manipulative husband, taking the high road for once.

"Actually no," _and Emma's moment of pride was dashed. _"I didn't want to make a potentially powerful enemy and I thought stranding Jefferson in some other world would eventually not work out well for me. Right now, because of what Regina did to him, he's our ally, Emma, possibly a very powerful ally."

"Yeah, well, he's also nuts," as Emma knew from personal experience.

"Right now. But perhaps not always. Just consider my alter-ego. He's nuts. But he may not always be."

"Yeah, well, we'll see." Emma was never comfortable talking with Gold about the creature. The connection between the two was eerie.

_NEXT: Gold sees a future_

_ An old friend visits_

_ Paige makes a guess_


	5. Tapestry

_Fortunately for me. last Sunday's episode fed exactly right into my storyline of Rumple's relationship with the fairies. This is a low-key chapter. More to come on this plot line next time. Thx for reading. txm_

Chapter Five

+ + + + + _Tapestry_

Emma watched the two children play together. Henry had shown Paige all around the jail after the two had finished their homework. Once they had started to get underfoot, Emma had given them money to get cones and told Henry to take one to his father at his shop. Let Gold keep them entertained. He had more interesting things in his shop for them to explore than Emma had in the jail, which didn't strike her as quite the appropriate hangout for a couple of ten year olds.

Gold could take them home and let them help with fixing supper. Henry had shown potential for cooking, which Emma knew Gold took as meaning that the child had potential for making magical potions. She, herself, did not show any potential in this area and, after a few disastrous trials, Gold had gently suggested that Emma's latent magical talents must fall in other areas. Emma had waived off the entire notion, but later agreed when Gold shared that she obviously had telepathic and empathic abilities, probably they would eventually be better than his own.

Privately Gold also thought that Emma likely had some abilities with teleporting, herself and for things, but had not yet manifested whatsoever with these skills. _Hell's bells, she couldn't even move a spoon. _

He also cringed, but he felt her strongest element was likely water, his own weakest area. She would be able to manipulate rivers and streams, mist and fog, rain and snow, sleet and hail, and ice. If she remained his ally, this would be a great addition to his own arsenal, but if she should ever turn on him, fighting her magically would take a toll (not like when Regina made the ill-fated choice of using water magic to try to take him down – she should've stayed within her own element of air).

Gold greeted the children and happily welcomed them bringing him a cone (although he also recognized this as Emma's method of ridding herself of babysitting responsibilities). He allowed Henry to show Paige around the front room and then sent the children to the back of the shop. They cleared off a corner of one of his worktables and Henry proceeded to show Paige how to play cribbage. Paige had some difficulties concentrating, there were just too many distracting items in the back room (and in the front room for that matter). She often would stop and ask Henry about different items.

Gold kept an ear out and was inordinately pleased to hear that Henry had retained everything that Gold had told him a while ago about the items in the shop. Paige seemed to be a bright, happy child, very likeable and, Gold thought privately, a pretty girl who would become a considerable beauty in due time. She had lovely manners and a sweet smile.

Gold took the children home and had them assist him making supper. Never one to shy away from allowing children to use sharp instruments (natural consequences being the best teacher), Gold set the children up with some chopping chores. Paige had never made crinkle fries from scratch and Gold put her to cutting the potatoes with the crinkle cutter. He put Henry to chopping up cabbage for cole slaw while he cut up, breaded and then baked chicken pieces to make home-made chicken nuggets. He then had the children stem and cut up strawberries to make strawberry ice cream.

By the time Emma got home, there was a great supper on the table and a pleasant meal was enjoyed by all. Henry wanted to excuse himself and Paige, but she insisted on staying to help Gold and Emma clean up. After this, the two children went up to look at Henry's computer.

"That girl is excellent daughter-in-law material," observed Gold.

"Except for her being ten and all," said Emma. "I don't think we need to meet with her parents to discuss her dowry and make the marriage arrangements just yet."

Gold smiled, "You forget my talent. The girl is gifted, comes from a remarkable family, has a lovely disposition and will be quite a beauty. Remember, despite the lowly birth of his father, your son is Prince Henry and, whenever you finally get around to breaking the curse, and if we return to Fairyland, he is eventually destined to rule. And as a Mage-King, he will be very powerful in his time."

Emma rested her elbow on the table and put her chin in her hand. "You can't help that, can you?"

"What?"

"You constantly see futures, don't you?

"Like threads in an enormous tapestry. It's a blessing and a curse. And, no, I can't help it. We should encourage this relationship. It's good for Henry, however it plays out."

+ + + + + _An Old Friend_

"Mary Margaret," Emma was thrilled to see her old roommate, looking well.

"Emma," Mary Margaret had dropped by the sheriff's office with a stack of newsletters. "It's been awhile. You look wonderful. How much longer?"

"Maybe four weeks. Maybe less. I'm hoping for less," admitted Emma.

"How's Henry?" Mary Margaret no longer saw the child in her classroom.

"Great. I hate having to send him back to Regina every other week, but I think we're about to move towards full custody."

"Wow, that is fantastic. However did you get her to agree with that? I would have thought that she would have fought you tooth and nail."

Emma hedged, "Oh, Gold has a knack for getting people to agree to do whatever he wants them to."

"Well, I would be guessing that he has something on her," Mary Margaret conjectured astutely. "And speaking of Gold, how is he?"

Emma blushed. "He's fantastic and irritating and devious and enormously thoughtful and the most complex man I've even known, much less been involved with."

"Wild monkey sex?" asked Mary Margaret, her sweet face at odds with the lewdness of her question.

Emma had to smile. "Wild monkey sex, indeed. Twice a night almost always, sometimes three, occasionally four times a night. Alittle exhausting but always satisfying," she admitted. "How's David?"

Mary Margaret smiled and dropped her eyes, "Oh my, he can go all night, tender, strong," she looked around. "But maybe not very imaginative."

"Be grateful. Gold can be very imaginative, maybe even a little kinky. Nothing like whips and chains, mind you. Just blindfolds, soft restraints, that sort of thing," Emma was smiling.

"Hot wax? Ice cream? I've seen how much the man likes ice cream." Mary Margaret wanted to know.

"Ice cream a couple of times. He really does like ice cream." Emma made a face. "But it's really messy, you know. . . afterwards there's a lot to clean up." Emma sighed remembering. . . "But enough about me. I hear that you have a growing newspaper business."

Mary Margaret beamed. "Yeah. It started out as a weekly but I am uncovering so much stuff that I went to two times a week and now I'm about to go to three times a week and hire another person to help me put the paper together. I'm considering offering delivery. I've had so many people ask me for that. I've brought some by to see if it was ok if I put them out front of the station, right by _The Daily Mirror_."

"No problem. Quite the journalistic success, I see," observed Emma.

Mary Margaret shook her head. "It's like I'm fighting evil," she gestured, holding a pen out in front of her body like she was making thrusts with a sword. "People are so starved for another side to the stories they read in _The Mirror."_ She lowered her voice. "I'm starting to have people call me with stories. Everything is anonymous, of course. Nobody wants to be identified. So I'm using the freedom of the press argument and getting people to spill their guts," Mary Margaret was very enthusiastic about her new occupation and it showed. "I feel like I'm really helping for the first time in a long time. I'm here to tell the truth and people are coming forth with it and just taking it in. It's wonderful."

"It sounds fantastic." Emma was impressed with Mary Margaret's passionate description of her new job.

"Yeah, it's also starting to pay off. Between the newspaper and my part-time work in your husband's shop, I'm managing to make ends meet. Your husband has been a godsend." She lowered her voice, "You must know that he lent me some money to help with start-up costs. He made me swear not to tell anyone, but I'm sure you already know. He said he didn't want it back and didn't have me sign anything. At the time, I needed the money desperately. I've actually been able to pay him back, you know. And. . . " Mary Margaret looked around, "I'm hearing rumors that Gold does this type of thing all the time. He helped pay Granny's hospital bills when she had the heart attack, even though he was threatening to evict them all the time. I found out he paid Ashley Boyd's medical bills even after you convinced him not to take her baby. He got top of the line treatment for Moe French's crazy daughter. And there's a rumor that after he threatened to evict the sisters from their convent, he funded their new building. There is all kind of stuff out there about him doing good deeds. The man is an amazing secret philanthropist."

Emma shook her head, "Don't publish any of that. He doesn't like that type of stuff to get out. He's afraid it may make people like him."

"Well, yeah," Mary Margaret was confused.

"Please, please sit on this. He really doesn't like it getting out at all. He thinks people won't be afraid of him anymore if they know he is doing all these good deeds."

Mary Margaret shrugged. "OK, well, if you say so. He really did help me out and I don't want to upset him."

"Good idea. Gold. . . upset. . . not good."

+ + + + + _Paige Makes a Guess_

Henry had decided to show Paige _The Book_. He didn't say anything except to share that this was one of his favorite books to read. Paige slowly looked through it and after a while began to make comments. She quickly noted how different characters in the book looked like many of the people in town. The Evil Queen looked like his adoptive mother, Snow White looked like Ms. Blanchard and Prince Charming looked like Mr. Nolen. There were so many others that she quickly matched up.

Henry shared hesitantly, not sure of how Paige would react. _Would she just think that he's weird_? "I often think that this book is showing the real world and Storybrooke is a cursed place the Evil Queen created."

Paige surprised him when she said, "I could believe that. I've often wondered if Ms. Ramp who does my hair isn't Rapunzel. She has a boyfriend that they are saving up money for eye surgery to make his vision better. You really think Ms. Blanchard is. . .?

Henry responded without thinking twice, "She's Snow White."

"And Mr. Nolen is Prince Charming?"

Henry nodded.

"Wow, that would fit."

The two talked through different people and were laughing at some of the associations, in absolute agreement that Henry's adoptive mother was the Evil Queen and Leroy was the drawf Grumpy. Paige eventually asked two difficult questions.

"Who am I? Am I in the story?"

Henry shrugged in a manner precisely reminiscent of Gold. "I'm not sure. But maybe you're Alice, from Alice in Wonderland."

Paige considered. "I could see that, but I'm not quite sure. I've always liked white rabbits. Now the most difficult question. Who is your father? Who is Mr. Gold?

Henry shrugged again and shook his head. "I have been trying to figure him out. I thought for a while that maybe he was Merlin but I don't think so. He's somebody, somebody important, but I just don't know. Do you have any ideas?"

Paige smiled and shook her head. "I'd have to look at your book to see. But maybe he's not in the book. Maybe he was left out on purpose so that no one would guess who he was."

Henry considered this. It made sense. "Maybe he's not in the book, but he could still be a Fairytale character.

Paige agreed, "He would be someone who is powerful, like a king or a magician. He would be someone that people made deals with, like they do with your father. And he would collect things. And he doesn't have a first name, just a last name."

"That sounds like my father, but I don't know anyone in the land of fairytales that fits all that," said Henry.

Paige asked suddenly, "Doesn't he have a big old spinning wheel? I thought I saw one in the back of his shop."

Henry nodded yes.

"Isn't there a character who spins straw into. . ."

They both said, "Gold!"

"Is your father Rumplestiltskin?" asked Paige.

_NEXT Emma deals with Uncertainty_

_Gold and the Nun_

_Rumplestiltskin and the Fairy_


	6. Uncertainty

Chapter Seven

+ + + + + _Clever Paige_

Gold heard his name, as Paige called it out correctly, in a clever, astute guess. _Excellent daughter-in-law material, indeed. _

+ + + + + _Uncertainty_

Emma, with David, had gone to the Mayor's office. She was there with a search warrant to get the computers from the Regina's office and her home. Regina was stunned, then livid, but had no choice to hand things over.

Emma explained to her, "We have found some irregularities in the town's funding during a routine audit and have to check everybody's computers. We're looking at personal computers and I just wanted to be sure that I was following the letter of the law."

Blate was waiting for her at the Sheriff's office and was immediately able to ascertain that the data was still there.

"Great, it looks like we have enough evidence to charge Regina with embezzlement and fraud." David shared with Emma.

"Maybe we do, but I'm still not sure," Emma said.

"What's not to be sure about?" David was curious.

"It's almost too easy. As if . . . as if. . . " Emma had another idea, but it was so far-fetched, so over the top. "I need to check something else out before we arrest Regina."

Emma went back by the Mayor's office. "Regina," she began. "There is $20,000 missing and the evidence against you is pretty strong. It looks like you began taking money out of the Sheriff's budget some time ago and then deposited it into a phony account with my name on it. Then when Gold and I got married, you began making purchases from a sex shop, along with some other odd purchases. All of these originated from your personal computer. It looks very much like you were trying to set me up from the beginning."

Regina shook her perfectly coifed head, "Sheriff Swan. . . I mean Gold. I know you won't believe me, but I didn't do this."

Regina got up from her steel and glass desk and walked around to face Emma. "You know my style. I'm not subtle at all. I go in for the big gestures. This thing is understated, discreet. It feels like it was started a long time ago and slowly fed until it was ready to blossom and come into the light of day. It is delicate and restrained. Not my style at all."

Regina leaned in, "But we both know who does operate like this. And that's really why you're here, isn't it? This just reeks of him, of his style. You aren't sure it's me, are you? Not 100% or you would have gone ahead and arrested me. This is just too tidy and too neat, too easy, and now you're thinking. . . maybe, _you_ weren't the one being framed. Maybe it was me. Just in time to discredit me with the election coming up."

She turned and walked back to her chair behind the desk. She sat down and threaded her fingers with their red lacquered nails together. "Talk with your devious, conniving, deceitful husband first. Then, if you will, if you're sure, come back and arrest me. You'll do that, not for me, but so you can sleep at night."

The interview was over. Regina had said what Emma was afraid to hear, what she thought she would say. She walked back to her office. Thinking.

"I'm going to turn this over to the D. A. for him to review," Emma finally told herself. "It's not my job to prosecute, determine guilt or innocence." It was her turn to turn away. Emma didn't like the D.A. He was a complete dick. Smug, arrogant, self-righteous bastard. This was a cowardly response, she knew. But this way, she didn't have to decide to make the arrest or not.

+ + + + + _Bee Sting_

_She_ was there again. Just how much care did this little patch of a garden take? The little thing would only smile and nod at him, which was just as well. Even with the new promise in place, he didn't entirely trust his self-restraint with her. He was surprised when he heard her cry out. He bit his lower lip and pressed his fingers into the bridge of his nose. He supposed would have to go and see what the problem was.

She didn't make eye contact with him, but he could see tears streaming from her eyes, a sight that would make most men melt with concern for her. Well, he's seen her cry before, hell, he had made her cry before. Frequently. He was immune to her tears.

She managed to gasp out. "Bee sting. Do you have anything?"

Damn. He would have to take her into the shop. He nodded and held the door for her, the bell chiming as the two walked inside together.

"I have a first aid kit behind the counter," he told her and, without coming into contact with her, went around her to retrieve it.

"Thank you," her voice was like velvet, soft and appreciative. She followed him to the counter, still holding her injured hand. "They usually don't bother me, but I must have put my hand right on this one." She sniffed. "It really hurts,"

He looked in the kit. Not too much here. Some alcohol and something for numbing the skin. He laid the items on the counter, not trusting himself to give them directly to her. He might end up touching her and he didn't know how he might react to direct contact.

She picked up the numbing agent and struggled to open it one-handed. After a moment, she handed it back to him, "I'm sorry. Could you take the lid off, please?"

He allowed her to drop the tube into his hand, took off the lid and put it back on the counter, ignoring her outstretched hand. She picked it up and addressed the sting.

She tendered him with a brilliant tear-stained smile, "I hate to be a bother, but would you have any ice? That might help take some of the sting away."

He shook his head, "I'm afraid not. You'll need to walk up to the Diner." He realized that he was clenching his fists. Even with the compulsion removed, he realized that he still absolutely hated this woman. _How could she not feel his anger? his scorn? _He put his fists into his pockets. "Is there anything else I can do for you?" He made the effort to turn back to his cash register and moved behind the counter.

She smiled at him and reached forward with her non-injured hand and lightly touched him on the arm. He nearly jumped back, but managed to only flinch back as if he were startled.

"You've been very kind. I. . I know what you did with the building fund. I know it was supposed to be a secret, but everyone seems to know. We all want to thank you, Mr. Gold."

He didn't make eye contact with her. He knew her eyes would be deep and luminous. A man could fall into them. She could tell lies with those eyes. He was trying to control his trembling.

She didn't let up. "I know many people say unkind things about you, some behind your back, some, I think, to your face. The sisters all believe that you are wonderful. I wanted you to know this."

He had to cut her off, get her out of the shop before, before he said something, did something, he would regret. "I'm sorry, sister. I only do what I think is necessary. And, I am sorry, but I do have a lot of work to do today. And you will need to head off to the Diner to get that ice." He turned away from her, hoping that she would take the cue.

She seemed a little chest-fallen, but nodded and slowly turned as if to walk out of the shop. She stopped at the door. "You have many lovely things in here. I bet they all have stories behind them."

He didn't look up, "uh hum," he responded.

"Oh, what a beautiful little cup!" her eyes were drawn to the delicate piece of china, the only surviving piece from the smashed set. "Oh, but it has a chip out of it. I wonder what happened there."

"I assume someone dropped it," he said, allowing a touch of acidity into his voice._Why the hell didn't she leave? _

She continued to hesitate, but finally sighed and stepped out of the door. The bell chimed after her.

Gold went into the back room. He was trembling and sweating. The geas, the geas they had put on him, pushed him, compelled him, forced him to react. He had made a pledge, a promise and he always kept his word. Now with the new promise to Emma overlaying the old promise, he was struggling between the two compulsions. He knew he had to walk away. He had to control himself. It would be a disaster, the end of everything he had worked for.

He again found some whiskey and, uncharacteristically, he took three steady drinks. The liquor burned going down his throat. Pray she doesn't walk back in. With the alcohol in his system he might not be able to control himself, but he needed it. He needed it to get through the morning. If he could just stop seeing her.

+ + + + + _Lost_

_I woke one morning and my son, my precious Bae, was gone. I remembered what had happened to him. The day before he had used a magic 'bean' he had gotten from the Blue Fairy and had jumped into a vortex that took him to a world without magic. I was too cowardly to go with him. Too afraid to give up my magic, my power. I asked the Lilac Fairy if she knew where, how he had gotten the bean. She did not, she said. _

_I decided to try something new, a type of magic I had never attempted before. I took a bowl, I didn't have anything fancy, just a plain clay bowl. I put water in it and dropped a hair that had belonged to my child into it. I asked to see the past, to find what had happened. _

_I saw. I saw _everything_. The two fairies, the Blue and the Lilac talked often together. They were afraid of me, of my power. They saw a chance to take my power away using my boy and put the thought into the head of one of Bae's few remaining friends to bring up the Blue Star. So Bae knew what to do; he called on the Blue Fairy. The Lilac Fairy distracted me (it was not a hard thing for her to do for I was enchanted by her) while the other fairy talked with Bae. The Blue Fairy had told him I was possessed by a dark magical power and if he wanted to save me, he would need to take me to a place without magic. She gave him something she called a 'bean,' something that enabled realm and time jumping. Bae had taken the 'bean;' anxious to 'save' me from myself. Bae felt that this was only hope for saving me. And to save me, we both had to go. I saw him agree and he came to me to take me to a place where there was no magic. _

_The fairy had watched me work the magic and now she seemed alarmed. I knew the truth. I now knew the truth about the fairies and my child. She had _lied_ to me about him. What else had she lied to me about?_

_I turned on the fairy. I was hurt, I was angry, I was despondent. How could she_ _have done this to me? I had trusted her, thinking the enemy was the Blue Fairy. Now I saw that they were both responsible for taking my child. My child helped me stay sane and now he was gone. She tried to talk to me calmly, but I was so angry. _

_I hit her with a bolt of energy which she deflected. She then began to hit me with similar bolts. I had never been in a magical fight before. I reacted instinctively and found I could deflect her bolts easily, just as she was able to deflect my own energy bursts. But then I tried something else. Instead of 'pushing' I began to 'pull'. I turned on her and 'pulled' on her energy. She seemed surprised. She seemed to have no defense for what I was doing. I found I could take her energy, her magical energy, out of her, feed on it, store it up for myself, even use it against her. When she realized what I was doing, she seemed to panic and tried to get away from me, but it was too late and I wouldn't let her. As powerful as I thought she was, I found that I was stronger and with each moment, I was getting stronger. The fairy changed appearance. Her skin, her hair, became more human in appearance and I knew, as she changed, her powers waned. She was soon no more powerful than a human woman. She was terrified of me, for I was still angry with her for taking my child. _

_NEXT Rumple takes further revenge. _

_Emma confronts Gold_

_Emma needs a ride_


	7. Vengeance

WARNING: This is a very dark time for our Rumple. There has been a loss of humanity and sanity and he behaves in a manner that is objectionable and reprehensible, hurting another living creature on purpose and taking enjoyment from it. txm

+ + + + + _Vengeance_

_The fairy changed appearance. Her skin, her hair, became more human in appearance and I knew, as she changed, her powers waned. She was soon no more powerful than a human woman. She was terrified of me, for I was still angry with her for taking my child. _

_At first, I put an iron chain on her leg but she cried, for the cold steel burned into her and hurt her. For all that she looked human and had no more power than a human; she was still a fairy and could not abide the touch of iron. I thought it was just punishment, but after the iron scorched and marred her skin, I relented and replaced the iron shackle with one of gold, for by now I had learned how to transmute dross into gold. _

_I kept her with me to clean my house, to wash my clothes, to cook my meals. I don't know how long I kept her around just for cleaning and cooking, but I remember one evening, as I sat watching her work, her beauty took my breath away and I began to desire her. I had only been with one woman before and she had been my wife. And she had been willing. But with the fairy, well I began to realize that none could gainsay me and, if I would have her, I could have her. _

_When she perceived my intent, she pleaded with me, begged me for mercy, but I forced her into my bed. She fought me, hitting, kicking, trying to bite me, but she was not strong enough to stop me and I easily overcame her. I greatly desired her and relished my power over her. I raped her, for she could not defend against me. She cried and bled. She had lived a long life as a fairy and had never been as a human woman before. She had never been with a man and I hurt her. I reveled in hurting her, for she had hurt me. Afterwards she curled up away from me and continued crying as if she would never stop. _

_I kept her as a household drudge and unwilling bed partner for many months, perhaps even years. I did not keep track of time as it no longer had any meaning to me. The only thing that mattered was creating a curse so powerful that would take me to a land without magic, so I could be with my son again. _

_Curiously, I sometimes saw that her powers would begin to return after a time and I could then again drain her of her magic, feeding on her almost to the point of her death. I also found that I could force pleasure upon her and she seemed to find this more demeaning, more degrading than any pain I could cause her._

_This was a time of learning for me as my understanding of my magical talents began to change. I saw that I could do much, much more that I had thought. I built myself a fine house away from humankind and furnished it with fine things. _

_I began to find that people would approach me for favors. They were all so deferential, bowing and scraping, so fearful, so hopeful. I learned that if I were to grant a wish, I needed to perform, that people would not believe it if I just said, "Yes, it is done." I learned that most people were willing to trade almost anything and some were willing to trade anything and everything for what I could give them. _

_But I also saw that often, so often, they weren't happy with what they got, and they wanted back what they had bargained with. They weren't willing to pay the price for my magic. _

_I also began to understand why the fairies had sent one of their own to me. They were right to have been very afraid of me. So far the Dark One had always been their equal and they could manage him. But not me. I still held the dagger and, for the first time, I had powers they had never seen before. Even as a human I had been able to sense the future. Now with the power of the dagger, I _saw_ the future, the possible futures, so clearly. I could manipulate the present to become what I wanted it to be. _

_I had also discovered that I could also pull power out of others which made me very, very dangerous and much stronger than any Dark One who had come before me. They were very afraid of me and had sent one of their strongest to subdue me, to kill me if necessary. But I had won. I had humbled, demeaned, and subjugated one of their strongest. For what she had done to me, the punishment was not enough, not enough for me. _

_I would sometimes have her tell me all about her sisters. They had all been part of the plan to subdue me and were just as guilty in my eyes. She did not want to tell me anything, because she knew I would use it against her sisters, but I found I could _make_ her do as I wished, that she could not defy me and when I pressed her, she would tell me about their weaknesses and how to kill each and every one of them. She would often cry and began to beg me for death, that being my whore was a fate worse than death for her, that she no longer wished to continue. But I would not let her die. I enjoyed showing her off, this very, very beautiful woman, letting others know that she was totally compliant with my every whim, that she was utterly at my disposal and would do whatever I requested with no hesitancy. I wanted others to know that she shared my bed and found pleasure at my hands. _

+ + + + + _Backache_

Emma did not want to have this conversation with Gold. He already seemed decidedly twitchy; he had shared that managing the duel compulsions was quite difficult. Nonetheless Emma knew she _had _to ask him, for her own peace of mind. She had not heard back from the D. A. and didn't know if he was going to think there was enough evidence to arrest Regina or recommend further investigation. But, either way, Regina was right, she had to ask, she had to know for herself.

It was mid-morning when she dropped by his shop and brought up the embezzlement case. She directly confronted Gold and asked as quietly and as calmly as she could, "Did you do this?" _Her back was killing her and she stood, reaching around to massaging herself as she spoke to him. Must be the stress._

"Do you think I did?" he asked her avoiding answering the question.

"Regina says you did. That you started this when I was first hired as a deputy. That is was part of a larger plan to discredit me or her, depending which direction you wanted to go."

"You believe Regina?" he sounded offended.

Emma shook her head, "Isn't she still under a truth spell?

Gold snorted, "It's not hard to work around a truth spell, I can promise you. You learn to say the truth like it's a lie and a lie like it's the truth."

"Well, I don't know what to believe," she said honestly. "This was started almost a year ago and only now is coming out. What kind of brain would plan something like this? It's hard for me to think that Regina would have left such a large footprint implicating herself."

"But you think I could have done all this: beginning a year ago with a plan that would make it look like Regina was implicating you in a crime but would ultimately lead back to her. Do you think I knew you were going to run for mayor a year ago? Do you think this was part of a plan I put together then? Emma, granted, I'm intuitive, but you are endowing me with some very remarkable powers."

Emma stood for a moment, quietly thinking it over, _still feeling her back aching like it had never ached before_, before she said, "But you have some very remarkable powers. I know that now. I believe that now."

"Do you think I did this?" he asked her again.

"I don't know. I don't know. I know I am beginning to believe that Regina didn't."

Gold was irritated. "OK let's say I did. Let's say you are prepared to drop the charges against Regina. Will you bring charges against me? What do you have? You can't testify against me, I'm your spouse. And, you will have to make the case that I'm computer savvy enough to have done this, when everyone knows I have some real issues with computers. Hell, I can't get the damn cell phone to work most of the time, much less manage an elaborate computer gambit."

Gold closed the distance between them and continued. "But let's say that was all a ruse, that I'm really a closet computer genius. I would have to have sneaked into Regina's house how many times to use her computer to make these transfers? Nobody notices this? Nobody sees? Not you, my wife. You didn't notice my absences? Not Regina who lives in the house with the tampered computer. I'd have to be one very sneaky bastard to have managed all this. Do you begin to have a case against me, Emma? As you said, I would have had to have started this more than a year ago, before we became engaged. What would have been my motive? To discredit Regina? Why then, why now?"

"I don't have evidence against you. Nothing I could use in a court of law."

"And if you did?" he asked, his tone was threatening, intimidating.

Emma turned away. _What was wrong with her back? It had never hurt this badly. She must have pulled something. _"I don't know." She really didn't know. "After talking with Regina, I'm having these doubts." She straightened herself. "I need some time, Gold. I need to think things through. I can't stay with a man I can't trust. I thought I trusted you. I thought I had learned to trust you. But now, I'm not so sure."

"So you are leaving me?" His eyes had narrowed and there was a hard line to his jaw.

"No, but I need a little time away from you. Time to think this through."

"And where will you go, my dear?" He kept his voice soft, calm and reasonable, part of a pattern Emma had seen before. When he was his angriest, at his most dangerous level, he spoke his softest.

Emma hesitated. "I can't go back to Mary Margaret's, David is spending a great deal of time there and I'd feel like a third wheel. I don't want to go to the Inn—you own the place and I need to pull away from things that you own. Hell, I'm actually thinking of going to Regina's. She's offered me a place."

"Under no circumstances are you to go to Regina's," he was adamant. "Why would you even consider such a thing? You've said yourself that the woman is a sociopath. And I forbid it. I will not have my pregnant wife staying under her roof."

This was perhaps the wrong thing for him to say.

"You forbid this? Good God, Gold, we've had this conversation before. "Emma was exasperated. She knew she should feel intimidated, but the hell with his medieval mindset. "You don't own me. You can't tell me what I can and can't do. If I want to go to Regina's, I will go to Regina's."

"No you won't, not now," Gold said in his very calmest, quietest voice.

"Yes, I will. I'm not going to let you lock me up to control me. I will go where I want to, when I want to. . . " _She was going to have to sit down. Her back was killing her._

Gold interrupted her. "No, Emma, no, you won't. Not this time."

"Are you going to force me, put your hands on me and try and make me do something?" She was ready to pick up something and clunk him over the head with it. _Screw him, she was ready to get out her gun and shoot his ass._

"No, I won't, but you aren't going anywhere. Not now," he repeated himself.

Emma felt herself losing control. She was furious at his high-handed, dictatorial, controlling manner. It made her all the more determined to thwart him. "I _will _go," she insisted.

"Emma, your water just broke," he said quietly.

"What?" she looked down and saw that she was standing in a puddle. Abruptly deflated, she said, "Oh, crap."

"Come on, Princess, do you want to change your pants?" Ever one to plan ahead, as a precaution, Gold had taken to transporting her hospital bag back and forth from home to shop and he made a quick trip to pick it up from behind his shop counter and then pulled out a pair of sweatpants and a fresh pair of panties for her.

Emma stood quietly. She didn't have a lot of choices here. "OK," she finally said in a small voice. She took the panties and pants from her husband and changed in the back room. When she came out, she was ready to get into her husband's car.

+ + + + + _Perks_

She had pre-registered at the hospital and made several calls: one to the hospital, one to David and left one message for Mary Margaret who was delivering her papers, all while riding in her husband's car. She looked sideways at Gold who was driving her in his favorite car, his black Ferrari Spider, to the hospital. She was still stewing. "This is a really nice car. You sure you want a woman about to give birth in it?" she asked.

He looked over at her, "Rather here than at Regina's."

"Oh, I also need to call Regina," she remembered. "She will need to pick up Henry from school. She had specifically asked if she could keep him when I went in."

"Dial it and give me the phone," he said and held out his hand.

Emma hesitated, but was hit with another wave of back pain. She managed to get the phone to the Contact screen and speed dialed the mayor. She dropped the phone into his hand. Emma leaned back in the car seat and tried deep breathing. She overheard his half of the conversation.

"Regina, Gold. Emma's water's broken and we're on the way to the hospital. Can you pick up Henry after school and bring him over to the hospital?" There was a pause. "You're a gem. I'll let you know where we are." There was another pause. "She's having back labor, but seems to be doing fine right now." He glanced at Emma. "Uh huh. Alright." And he pressed the call stop button on the phone and pocketed it.

"Are you doing ok?" he asked her.

"My back is killing me. But otherwise, I'm managing." She looked at him again. "Regina's a gem?"

He gave her a tight smile. "I can afford to suck it up and be nice to her. We're getting full custody."

They pulled into the special parking the hospital had reserved for mothers-in-labor and Gold assisted her out of the car, when staff appeared, waiting to help her into a wheel chair. Emma was surprised by this service for a moment but then remembered that she had just called ahead to let them know she was coming. And, she often forgot that being the wife of the richest man in town did have some perks. She was having increasing difficulties moving around and when Doc suggested a little something for pain, she quickly agreed.

"It's going to have a little something in it that may make you groggy." He said after setting her up with an IV.

"Oh oh," said Emma, but she already found herself in the cavern. She was sitting in the chair the creature had procured for her. It was ordinarily comfortable but didn't quite fit the ticket at the moment.

"Princess, why are you here?" The creature approached the edge of the cage and immediately concluded what was going on. "It's the baby," he stated and Emma abruptly found herself _inside his cage and on his bed._

She knew this was different. She was _inside_ his cage. She knew he could pull _things_ into his cage, but not _people_. She knew she should be terrified, no bars between them. Then there was a passing thought, would she be able to leave?

He was putting pillows behind her back and, having her lean forward, began massaging her back. It felt wonderful and she suspected he was using magic on her to dull the pain. He began wiping her face with a cool cloth and uttered calming, soothing words to her.

She gasped out, "They gave me something for the pain and it made me happy and sleepy."

"I understand, Princess. So you came here. I'll take good care of you, I promise," the creature reassured her. "You're going to be alright."

_NEXT: A new baby girl_

_Paige has a chat with Mr. Gold_

_Petty business for Rumple_


	8. Brave Emma

+ + + + + _Brave Emma_

"You're going to be alright."

She remembered hearing the creature tell her that . . . or was it Gold?

The next set of hours was a vague, very uncomfortable memory for Emma. The back labor shifted to "real" labor and she felt the cramping; it was ever increasing and seemed to come waves, closer and closer, harder and harder. The medication had made her groggy and she had difficulties staying awake for any amount of time. She was aware of different people coming in and out, Mary Margaret, Henry, and David all showed up at different points. But always, there was Gold or the creature. One or the other was there throughout. Sometimes there was a blurring together,rapidly going from one to the other, their voices blending. One or the other, he never left her, talking softly, comforting her, reminding her to do her breathing, constantly, calmly.

She didn't know how long it was before she felt the urge to push and the sundry people around her, including the ever constant Gold/Creature, encouraged her. She began to push and she heard someone say they could see the baby's head. She pushed again, and again and again.

"One more push, my love, one more should do it," she heard the creature, or was it Gold? say to her.

She heard someone crying and realized it was her baby.

"You have a beautiful daughter," someone told her and she was given the baby to hold. Dark hair, dark eyes, these stayed constant but the skin changed from pink to sparkly green as Emma wavered in and out of the two worlds. The baby was beautiful and quickly calmed as she lay on Emma's stomach.

She stayed with the creature for awhile, vaguely aware that once she left she would take the child with her. This was obviously his child and she knew that he would not be able to see the child again except through Gold's eyes. She could hear him (or was it Gold?) praising her bravery and strength and thanking her for giving him such a beautiful healthy daughter.

+ + + + + _A New Image_

"I'm telling you we were really starting to get concerned about Gold," Mary Margaret was visiting Emma, oohing and aahing over the baby and telling Emma how great she was looking. "The man never left your side and we were having to browbeat him to eat and drink anything."

"Doesn't really fit with him being the most dangerous, most powerful, most feared man in town, does it?" asked Emma.

"Oh, I'm telling you. This story is out and about. What a great husband he is. What a doting daddy he is. The man is losing his scary image fast," laughed Mary Margaret.

Emma didn't respond. She still knew that, however he might be as a father, he was also still a manipulative, calculating bastard who engineered take-downs and put-up-jobs and whatever it took to keep his position and get what he wanted. She still hadn't gotten the truth from him about the embezzlement, didn't think she ever would. Despite his care and support during the birth, she was still not sure she wanted to go home with him. But she also knew that if she tried to leave him now, she would likely see the very darkest side of the man. He was not one to let something go that he felt he owned – and he had always made it quite clear to her: he saw her as property.

+ + + + + _Reviewing Receipts_

It was late afternoon and Gold was reviewing his rent receipts. After his hospital stay he had gone back to his business and was making sure that he had not overlooked anything. The bell to the shop tinkled.

It was Paige dropping by the pawn shop. She had been hoping to see Henry, but Gold explained that while his mother was in the hospital, Henry was staying with Regina. Gold suggested she might try the mayor's house to connect with him. Paige thanked him. "I bet your daughter is very pretty" she said to him, politely, as a way of making conversation.

"I think she's beautiful," he agreed. She stood a moment, as ever intrigued by the many things in his shop. She appeared about to leave when Gold said to her, "So, you think I'm Rumplestiltskin?"

Paige took a sharp breath and a quick step back. Was it fear showing on her face? "Did Henry tell you that? We. . .we were just playing a game," she hurried to explain.

"Henry didn't tell me. I. heard. it. But just a game, you say," he repeated. "Well, I'm glad you have the. . . grace. . . to admit it is just a game, my dear. Some people might be offended or think it. . . " he paused "curiouser."

"We haven't talked to anyone else, sir. It's just something Henry and I do." Although she seemed nervous, he was pleased to see she was standing her ground with him. Not something many adults could do.

"I'm sure it is, my dear." He favored her with a slight smile, then turned his attention back to his receipts. "Run along now, see if you can catch up with Henry."

Gold watched her skitter away, almost running down the street. He was liking this girl more and more. Intelligence and backbone.

+ + + + + _Petty Business_

_My presence had been requested by some petty king in some petty kingdom. The message was prettily worded, requesting my gracious company – they wished to thank me for something or another. I wasn't sure if I had ever actually been to the place, but by now I had visited so many places that it was entirely possible that I had been there and forgotten about it. One petty kingdom was pretty much the same as another. _

_My beautiful fairy accompanied me. Her hair was still long and ashen grey, her skin almost milky white, setting off her large luminous purple eyes. She looked more human now, with her powers drained, but, to the astute eye, she was still not quite human. I had learned how to . . . redirect. . . her without leaving bruises on her alabaster skin, so her appearance was flawless. I gave her clothes to wear that were lilac in color, just because it amused me. I also, because I had acquired a fondness for it, put her in gold: gold shoes, gold belt, gold bracelets and earrings, She also wore a gold collar to which I had attached a solid gold chain; it marked her as my slave. I wanted everyone to know instantly that she was my property. She walked behind me and kept her eyes down. She had been punished sufficiently and often enough for insolence and for failing to act deferentially enough to suit me. She had ceased trying to run away from me, knowing this was hopeless. She no longer fought me or struggled against me, knowing it was useless. She was now most often trying hard to please me, knowing that sometimes I would be pleased enough to grant her simple requests or at least forgo punishment. _

_We had been invited to dinner. It was a dark, dingy castle, outright dirty. Inside the great hall it was apparent that the room was equally disgusting. The curtains hadn't been cleaned in ages, if ever, the windows were unwashed, the floors probably never swept, There was the smell of human sweat, dog poop, and rotted food permeating the air. I reluctantly sat down in a filthy chair and had the little fairy stand behind me. Around the table was the turpitudinous king, his unappealing wife, their inconsequential offspring, a sordid bevy of court officials and their ignoble spouses and various wretched hangers-on. This was a remarkably unattractive group and the food, such as it was, seemed to fit the party. The court polloi were obsequious and fawning toward myself and the royal family. _

_I was bored and not amused. I was considering leaving, just winking myself and my beautiful captive away from the dining hall, when _she _came in. I heard my fairy gasp but she quickly recovered herself. She surely knew the woman who had just come in. I looked at the newcomer closely. Beautiful, dark skinned, with long ebony hair, a woman of a certain age, but nonetheless quite stunning. Her dress looked like it had been made of large, soft leaves of various shades of green. The king leaned over to me and I nearly recoiled from the smell of his rancid breath. He whispered "The Green Lady." I caught her eye and we nodded to each other. _

_I pulled on the collar chain of my fairy and leaned over to her, "Who is she, my dear?"_

"_Master?" she did not want to answer me. I said nothing, giving her time to consider the consequences of defiance. She bit her lip and I could tell she really did not want to answer. No matter to me, her feelings. _

"_Who is she, dearie?" I asked again allowing a little edge to come into my voice._

_A tear spilled slowly out of one eye. It was costing her some effort. "She is. . . she is one of my sisters," she whispered._

_I considered, "I thought as much." I smiled and raised my glass to the green witch. She smiled and raised her glass to me. I was thinking over everything that my lovely little lilac fae had told me about this particular sister. Earth , very powerful._

_The king leaned back toward me¸"She was the one who got us to ask you here," he explained. _

"_Indeed," I replied. Idiots, all of them. I looked at the king with some disdain, although I doubted he noticed it. I briefly toyed with the idea of changing them all to frogs¸but that, I decided, would be a disservice to frogs. I finally said, "It was a long journey here. I wish to go to my room for the evening," _

_The king wasn't offended. No doubt too dense. "Surely," he said. He raised his hand and gestured to one of his guards, telling them to escort me to my rooms for the evening. _

_The room was everything I had expected. Dirty, cold, damp, smelling of rot and mildew. I raised a light and inspected the bed. No doubt bug-infested. _

"_This is not fit for us to sleep in," I said to my fairy. _

_She had stood quietly, waiting for my directives. "Master?"_

"_I think we shall wait here for the Green Fairy. She is, after all, the one who asked us here. I'm sure she has something special in mind for me," I said to her, pulling a chair out from the table and setting it against the wall. I didn't want her to come in behind me. I sat down and waited. _

_My fairy remained standing in the middle of the room. I gestured for her to come over to me. She moved slowly and hesitantly, but did comply, coming to stand next to me. She was visibly trembling. I pointed to the floor to my left. "Kneel here, "I directed and again she complied with my directions, kneeling close to me. I was able to stroke her smooth skin and run my fingers through her long, soft, silky hair. Even as a human, she smelled delicious, like anise flavored cookies, a delicacy from my childhood. I considered having her perform personal services for me while we waited for her sister, but opted not to, concerned that it might likely be . . . distracting. . . should her sister show up at a critical moment. _

_It wasn't very long._

_NEXT A Declaration of. . . Like_

_ Naming the Baby_

_ Wedding Plans_


	9. Baby

+ + + + + _Baby_

Emma sat with her baby in the hospital. The room was filled with flowers, some from Gold, many from friends, and the rest from various townspeople who likely felt that it would be a shrewd gesture on their part to curry Gold's favor by acknowledging the happy event. Emma thought cynically that it smelled like a funeral parlor.

She was nursing the baby, happy that this, at least, had gone quite well. Mother and baby had both seemed to catch on to what they needed to do.

Emma knew that Gold had been by often to see the baby; she knew because the staff raved about him. Apparently, the man regularly dropped flowers, candy and substantial gift certificates on staff. But, he hadn't been to see her; she guessed he was choosing to give her the time and space she had requested. So she was surprised to look up and see him watching her, standing at the door leaning on his cane.

"Good grief, you startled me." _You'd think she'd be used to him sneaking up on her by now. _

"Sorry, I didn't mean to. It was such a beautiful sight, my wife and my daughter." He actually seemed a little nervous, but after a moment, he did come into the room and sat down in one of the hard-covered hospital chair that had been put in the room for visitors.

"We need to talk," he said.

"We do," agreed Emma.

"I don't know that there is anything I can say or do that will make you believe me or trust me again."

"I don't know either," agreed Emma.

"I need you Emma, When I'm with you, the voices I'm cursed with get quieter," he confessed. "And," he added, "I want you."

"Do you love me?" she asked.

Gold closed his eyes and rubbed them. "I don't know that I have the capacity to love any more, my dear Emma. There have been too many. . . too many. . . times. . . things. . . .What I feel for you is a close as I can come to love. It is the most that I can give you, but it's more than I can give anyone else. I certainly like you and enjoy your company."

Emma made a face. "Ah, an overwhelming. . . undying declaration of 'like."

Gold smiled, obviously remembering Emma's previous confession. "I guess we both have trouble with commitments and feelings."

"Yes, I guess we do." Emma sat quietly a moment. She knew what he wanted to know. Finally, she said, "I've done nothing but think about whether I can come back to you."

Gold held his breath, "And. . . "

Emma slowly replied, "I think we are somehow bound together. Maybe not by love, but something. Maybe something stronger than love. Maybe, it's family? Our paths keep continuing to cross. If what Henry says is true, our families are bound together. That creature in the cage, the one that. . .is. . .you, you know, I'm drawn to him, maybe like a moth to a flame, because I keep going back to him. It's not love, but it is close to love."

Gold didn't respond at first. "So you will come back?" There was the slightest glimmer of hope in his voice, barely there.

Emma delayed in responding but finally said, "Yes."

Gold exhaled audibly. "I will try to be less controlling, less devious, less manipulative," he said softly.

"Then it wouldn't still be you, would it?" she asked.

He gave her a slight smile. "No, I guess not."

"The man I care for, that I like, that I'm close to loving is controlling, devious and manipulative. I don't know that I want you to change."

Gold looked at her for a long time. "You don't want me to change?" He said this almost to himself. "Every other woman I've been involved with has wanted me to change. To be more. To be less. But you want me the way I am. That sounds more like true love than anything I've ever heard, Emma."

Emma patted her baby's head and gave a soft laugh, "True love? Maybe so."

The two sat quietly for a while. It was Emma that finally broke the silence. "You know I would never have gone to Regina's," she confessed. "I was just saying that to, well, irritate you."

"I was ready to come up with some way I could violate my promise and lock you up. I thought you had developed some sort of late pregnancy craziness." He told her.

"No, I had developed some sort of I'm-not-sure-I-can-trust-my-husband-anymore craziness," Emma shot back.

"I'm sorry, Emma. As I said before, I don't know that there is anything I can say or do that will make you believe me or trust me again."

"But you need me and want me," Emma repeated back to him.

"And I like and I'm close to loving you," Gold finished.

The couple sat silently awhile. The baby was still nursing. Emma kept patting the child's dark hair.

"She's absolutely beautiful, Emma. You did a wonderful job. You're going to be a wonderful mother.

Emma looked over at her husband, "You know, we haven't talked about it, but we really need a name for our beautiful baby girl."

"I would suggest Angharad Brielle. It means 'much loved one' and," he paused and looked into Emma's eyes, "'heroine'."

"Angharad Brielle Gold?" Emma considered it. "Not bad."

Gold cleared his throat. "We also need to have a name to call her. There is power in knowing someone's true name. Some may try to get to us through her," he put his hand on the baby's head.

Emma watched as her new born daughter stopped nursing, turned her head and tried to focus her dark infant eyes on the person touching her. Gold continued, "And if we ever go back to Fairyland, she will be a powerful sorceress and she will need her name kept to herself. We can call her Ysbael. It is a family name." He pronounced it "Is-bay-el," drawing it out to three syllables.

"Ysbael Gold." Emma repeated it. "I like that name. Ysbael, Ysbael," she cooed to her daughter. Gold had not removed his hand from the infant who decided to return her attention to nursing. "Gold," Emma began, quietly. "I've had a message from the D. A. He tells me that there is not enough evidence to arrest Regina. It's all circumstantial."

"That's a crock," Gold said. "Doubtless Regina has something going on with him. Is he requesting an investigation?"

"Not exactly, he's suggested we do a further audit to see if the money just doesn't show up somewhere," Emma explained. "I've got Blate working on it."

"Well, somehow I'm sure it will. Regina has been known to shift town money from one account to another on more than one occasion." Gold was philosophical. He hesitated, but leaned over and kissed his wife. "I'm glad you're coming back. We have a wedding to plan."

"Oh shhhhiii. . . " Emma stopped, censoring herself as she looked down at her new daughter.

+ + + + + _Henry shares_

Henry was holding his new baby sister. "Ysbael? What kind of name is that?"

"Gold tells me it's a family name," Emma explained.

"Like Baelfire, the name of his first son?"

Emma looked up. "What do you know about your father's first son?"

Henry shook his head, "Just that he didn't like how Father changed after he got his powers and he ran away."

Emma didn't know this, "Did he now? How do you know this?"

"Father told me. When he started to teach me magic, he said that his oldest son didn't want him to do magic. That they got in a big argument and his son went away to a land without magic."

"I thought he had died," Emma said, more to herself than to Henry.

"Oh no, he ran away. Father said that he thinks about Baelfire every day and wishes that they had never argued, wishes that he had agreed to give up his powers." Henry paused. "He said he was hoping that when you came to Storybrooke that he might see Baelfire again, but it hasn't happened yet."

Emma digested this, "It hasn't happened yet?"

Henry was finished holding his sister and handed her back to his mother. He hesitated but then got one of the notepads the hospital had provided in Emma's Welcome Bag. "You know Paige thinks that Father might be this person," he handed her a sheet of paper upon which he had written 'Rumplestiltskin'." Henry cautioned his mother," Paige told me not the say the name out loud because she thinks that he hears it when someone says it."

Emma looked at the notepad. "Why this name?"

Henry responded, "Because of the spinning wheel he has and his name 'Gold'. This" Henry gestured to the sheet of paper, "This. . . " he wasn't sure what to call him, "Well, he could spin straw into gold."

+ + + + + _Wedding Plans_

The ceremony was scheduled for twelve weeks after the baby's birth. Released from the hospital, among the other things she found herself working on, Emma had reluctantly revisited the wedding planner, Zurie Banon. Now, it wasn't that she didn't like Zurie. On the contrary, Zurie was always cool, calm and collected, absolutely great to be around if you were a frazzled bride to be, or in Emma's case, a frazzled vow repeater who had missed the first wedding because she had accidently gotten impregnated. Zurie was happy to be able to complete the wedding arrangements, had in fact already gotten everything planned out. She was just waiting for the green light. She immediately arranged for a wedding dress fitting and put Emma on a rush delivery. Gold again had Mary Margaret and Regina go with her to Boston, baby in tow. Zurie had been able to bow out on this trip, claiming she had much to do with wedding details.

Emma was quite concerned that she wouldn't fit into the couture dress she had picked out, especially so soon after the baby's birth, but with the help of a corset and some last minute alterations, the very beautiful, very expensive dress she had bought so long ago was made to fit.

There was first to be a quiet ceremony at the house. There was a small group of special guests invited to witness the vow renewal. Emma had fretted but had finally asked David to give her away. Gold and Henry agreed with her choice. David had been flattered and readily agreed. Emma had asked Mary Margaret to be her maid of honor and Ruby and Ashley to be her bridesmaids. She didn't want any more on her side of the wedding party.

Gold, in turn, had fretted over who to have as his best man. He confessed to Emma that he really didn't have friends (Emma had graciously refrained from commenting). He finally decided to ask Henry (obviously being willing to forgo the bachelor party that the best man was usually required to throw). He asked Archie and, of all people, Leroy to help usher guests to their seats. They had both agreed.

It was after the ceremony itself that things would become enormous. Gold had essentially commandeered the town square for the reception and invited everyone in town. There was to be a huge open air buffet after the ceremony and Zurie had begun to line up caterers for the biggest affair that Storybrooke had ever seen. There were to be canopies and tables and chairs set up all around. Zurie had contracted with several bands to play music so there would be dancing and food (and alcohol) into the wee hours of the morning.

One evening at home, after supper, when Emma had brought up some concerns about the expense and the size of the affair, Gold had just smiled. "I'm very happy to be married to you. I want to celebrate our marriage and share my happiness with everyone. Happiness does not happen often and needs to be celebrated when it does happen." He didn't bother to tell her that he had not felt the compulsions in several weeks, that the Dark One had grown quieter with her continued presence.

"Carpe Diem," Emma had said, capitulating and raising a glass of red wine to him.

.

_NEXT Mary Margaret asks advice from Mr. Gold_

_A secret is revealed_

_The much delayed wedding_


	10. Gold's Approval

+ + ++ + _Gold gives his approval_

It was what happened right before The Wedding that got Gold's attention. As her financial mentor, Mary Margaret had come by the shop late one afternoon to talk with him about an article that had appeared in _The Daily Mirror. _ It was actually one of a series of articles extolling Regina's exemplary service to the community and going on about , not only what a wonderful mayor she was, but what an extraordinary person she was.

"I gagged," Mary Margaret told him. "I actually gagged. Half of what she was supposed to have done in this article, she didn't do And the other half was done only under duress or she did it with the express purpose of making herself look good." She paced as she talked and Gold could not help but appreciate her trim form, bright eyes and luscious lipse real

Gold raised an eyebrow. "You have any proof or is this just people coming to you anonymously and telling you their side of the story?"

She frowned and stopped pacing, "Just people telling me their side. No real evidence." She signed and pointed to a part of the article. "Just look at this. This part is about her building the children's playground. You know that she actually took money away from the Toll Bridge repair and put it into the playground. She didn't get Council approval or anything. She just did it. And now, this article is wanting to name the freakin' playground in her honor, like it was _her_ money."

"Uh hum," Gold was not sure where this was going. Looking at her lips, he recalled the time he had thoroughly kissed her at her own wedding, pressing her taut little figure into himself. He blinked, reminding himself of his marriage to Emma. This woman was his mother-in-law.

She was continuing to talk. "I think that it would be good, good for Emma and the election, if I could write about somebody who actually was doing good things for this community."

Gold pulled himself back into what she was saying and managed to comment, "I know Emma feels strongly against running a negative campaign. What I'm hearing is that you are trying to discredit Regina by building up somebody else?"

"Exactly. I don't want to sink to her level." She took a deep breath. "What do you think?" she asked.

He shrugged, "That sounds nice," he said neutrally.

She sighed, as in relief, "Well I thought so too, but wanted to get your approval, first." She leaned forward and, unexpectedly, kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks, you've been so helpful,"

He was stunned, to say the least. He didn't feel this was some type of suggestion or proposition from her, just her way of thanking him. _The fairest in the land._ Had she not been so necessary to produce Emma, he would have considered her for himself. She left out of his shop, taking abit of sunshine with her.

He thought nothing more about the incident.

+ + + + + _What Came Next_

Then the latest edition of _Storybrooke News, _formerly known as the_ Storybrooke Weekly News_, came out.

+ + + + + _Ruined!_

Emma was now back at work. She had hired Ashley to watch the baby during the day, primarily because Ashley was willing to bring the baby by to see her on a regular basis. It allowed Emma to continue nursing the baby.

It was afternoon when Gold stormed into the Sheriff's office. Emma could tell when he came in, that Gold was furious. His limp was pronounced as he all but ran into the office.

"Have you seen this?" he was holding up a sheet of paper.

"I can't tell what you are holding up, dear," Emma responded calmly. David was sitting at his desk and was witnessing the rant.

"This," he thrust the paper in front of her nose.

It was the latest edition of Mary Margaret's _Storybrooke News._

Emma read the headline, "The Secret Philanthropist," she looked up at her husband and read on, "Many of Storybrooke's people have their own story of how they were helped out of a desperate situation by a kind fellow citizen who sent them money or anonymously paid an unexpected bill, but most don't know who this kind fellow citizen is. Most don't know just how many of our town's residents that this citizen has helped out, but the stories keep pouring in to this reporter. Many who do know the identity of their benefactor are reporting that they were sworn to secrecy.

But the news is out. One citizen has given more, more often, and to more people than everyone else put together. You may know him as a clever, principled business man, an attorney who knows exactly how to spell out a deal. Our Mr. Gold." Emma stopped reading.

Emma thought Gold was going to stroke. "She has ruined me! Ruined me! I tell you. This woman is your best friend, Did she not tell you what she was up to? So you could stop her, talk her out of it?" Gold turned on David, "And this is your woman! Do you not have any control over her?"

David smiled and shook his head, "Not a bit, sir. Mary Margaret is a law unto herself."

Gold was fuming. "After all I have done for that woman. She does this to me."

Emma was reading the rest of the article. "You sound like a saint, a real sweetheart. The town's benefactor. A really nice guy."

"Exactly. You see my point." He was pacing. It had to be costing him something to move like he was. "Can we recall this paper? I want a retraction. How will I be able to continue doing business here? Collect my rents? People will be expecting me to let them make late payments with no penalty fee, to . . . to. . . to make them low-interest loans! Why did she do this to me? I thought she was a friend."

"I don't think you can recall the paper. It's already all over town," David observed.

Gold stood still. "Maybe if I drag her out to the center square and slap her around? Are there some kittens I can put in a blender? Are there any puppies I can roast alive? Children I can skin?"

David echoed from his desk, "Any first born you can steal?"

Gold gave him a quelling glare before continuing, "There has got to be something, anything, I can do to restore my image."

Emma shook her head and put her hand in front of her mouth to hide her smile. "Sorry, dear, I don't think you will ever be known as a hard-ass again."

Gold sat down, rested his cane by the desk and put his head in his hands. "This is a nightmare. A fucking nightmare."

By now David had ducked under the desk; he was laughing so hard. Emma admonished him, "Now David, Gold is genuinely upset about this. You don't help things when you treat this like a joke." She went over and patted her spouse on the shoulder. "I think Mary Margaret did it to help with the election. Regina's has _The Mirror _ come out with a series of articles trying to make it look like she's been the one helping people out, but this type of article makes anything she's done look minor and petty."

She heard Gold murmur, "To think I approved of you running for mayor. Little did I realize that it would ruin me." He suddenly sat up and looked right at Emma. "This is all your fault."

"Any how do you figure that?" she asked him blandly.

"If you hadn't been so delicious I would never have married you. I should never have done that. If I just kept you on as my mistress, people would have thought that I was taking advantage of you, that I knocked you up and then wouldn't make an honest woman of you. They would totally think that I was a bastard." He thought awhile longer. "Maybe I could go out and have an affair. Maybe I could have an affair with Mary Margaret."

That got David's attention. "You'll have to take me out, Gold."

Gold waved him off. "In a heartbeat, Nolen. I could that in a heartbeat." He considered the matter further, "I've always thought that Mary Margaret had a little tendré for me. But," he considered it another moment and shook his head, "maybe she wouldn't have me."

Emma reassured him, "Oh I'm sure she'd have you, dear. I've told her all about your sexual prowess."

This caught Gold's attention, distracting him from his primary focus, "What?"

Emma continued as if she was talking about the weather. "Oh, I've told her how often we do it, how long you can go, which way you point me and so forth." Emma thought the man was going to blush.

"Emma, that's between a man and his wife. That's private." He was scandalized.

David had been listening, "Uh, Emma, has Mary Margaret talked about us? me?"

"Oh yes, after all, we are best friends." At David's horrified look, Emma reassured him, "Nothing to be embarrassed about, David. If you weren't my best friend's beau, and if I wasn't married to Gold here and if Henry wasn't always telling me that you are my father, I'd seriously consider making a play for you."

Gold was shaking his head. "How did we get on this? We were talking about how Mary Margaret has ruined my reputation."

"Oh yeah," Emma sat back down. "You'll survive, dearie," she said, unsympathetically, and went back to her paperwork.

Gold sat in silence and stared at her. After awhile he said, "You realize, madam, that you share my bed."

"I'm well aware of that, my dear."

"I'm still blaming you for this. And as I told you once before, there are many ways a man can punish a woman without beating her. It will take several hours and involve begging."

Emma looked up and made eye contact, "You or me?"

He sat and continued staring at her a moment and then just smiled.

+ + + + + _Reflections_

Gold stood at the head of the room, flanked by his son, waiting to see his bride. He looked around the room and was struck by the number of people she and he had counted as close friends. Well, most of them, hell, all of them, were actually Emma's friends that had now become his friends. He looked at stupid, little Ashley and slutty, slender Ruby as they come up the aisle. He would have never counted these women as friends before Emma.

And Mary Margaret. For all that he wanted to strangle her for the newspaper article, this beautiful woman, that he had kissed so thoroughly so long ago on her own wedding day, now was to stand by his wife as he and she renewed their vows. As odd as it was, he was her son-in-law and she was the grandmother of two of his children.

And then there was David. He knew David very well, had watched the young man grow up, had guided him and steered him along. He had turned out, mostly well, although it was taking him awhile to rediscover his confidence in this world.

His daughter was quietly watching everything, resting in Granny's arms. Paige sat next to Granny. Gold glanced at his son. Handsome, clever, reminding him so much of his oldest child.

His heart tightened. So long ago, the madness had taken over. He couldn't relinquish the power and it had cost him his first born. He spent the next however many years it had been, working, preparing the way of regaining his oldest son, taking everyone to this land with no magic, subjecting them to year after year of Regina's stupid miserable rule.

And_ she_ had thought she was in charge. She was officiating at the wedding, at his request. She had not wanted to come, but he had insisted, adding "please" to his request, making it impossible for her to refuse. She had begun to suspect that he had used her, used her as part of a larger plan and her anger was ever increasing.

He heard the crowd murmuring and through the harp and flute music that Zurie had arranged, he looked up and saw his bride, leaning on young Nolen. She was stunning in her very expensive, pearl and crystal encrusted dress. Her hair had been curled into golden ringlets and trailed down her shoulders. She wore a pearl and crystal necklace that he had brought her as a wedding gift. She looked every inch the fairyland princess. He had never seen her more beautiful, and for this moment, thought that she was surely the fairest in the land. This was the one woman who had not tried to change him, who had accepted him for what he was, was beginning to accept his alter ego for what he was. He did not have to fear that her kiss would break his spell, because she didn't want it broken. With her in his life the Dark One continued to grow quieter.

Emma was about to vomit.

She hated being the center of attention. She felt that she had been squeezed into the dress and trussed up like a sausage. She was afraid she was going to trip and fall or, worse, start lactating and wet the front of the dress. She glanced down. Good God, she was about to fall out of the dress the way it pushed her boobs up and together. She looked up and found Gold, dressed as always in an immaculate suit with a white rose in his lapel. He was watching her with an expression she had never quite seen on his face. She saw, she was sure she saw, well maybe she saw, him mouth the words, "I love you," as she began down the aisle.

The ceremony was short and simple. He and Emma had worked on their vows together both wanting to avoid the "L" word.

Emma thanked the man for bringing stability, comfort and security into her life and promised him that she would cherish, appreciate, and tolerate him, adding this last with a smile. She added she would honor him and think of him in all things.

Gold thanked Emma from making his life brighter and exciting and for bringing back magic into his life (he gave Regina an almost imperceptible side glance at this point). He promised to cherish, appreciate and remain faithful to Emma. He would honor her and think of her in all things.

Gold did take advantage of the permission to kiss the bride at the end of the ceremony, pulling her into him, taking his time, sending shivers down her spine. Their guests broke into applause when he reluctantly pulled away from her. They walked down the aisle arm in arm, with Gold leaning on her more than his cane. He stopped her before they left the room and had her stand by him as he turned to address his guests.

"This day is very special to me, to stand with the woman I have come to care about above all others, the mother of my children and a woman who has brought friends and some semblance of sanity into my life. I want to thank all of you for sharing this day, this moment, with me, with us." He smiled at the gathering. "I have sent food and drink and music into the town square for everyone to enjoy. Please go on and enjoy yourself."

He and Emma stood and greeted each guest as they filed out, saying pleasantries and accepting best wishes. Mary Margaret and David were the last two to go, Granny had taken Ysbael on to the town square and Henry and Paige had gone off together to the same destination. Mary Margaret hugged Emma, assuring her for the umpteenth time that she was the most beautiful bride, ever. David shook hands with Gold, congratulating him on his bride. There was an awkward moment when the couples switched. Although David was quite comfortable with hugging Emma, Mary Margaret was less at ease coming into actual physical contact with Gold. _What had possessed her to give him that little kiss on the cheek? _ After some hesitancy, Gold pulled her into his body and wrapped his arms around her. He said in an audible whisper, "You know, I do plan to take revenge on you for that newspaper article. Someday, you won't know when, I_ will_ make you pay."

She protested, "But I checked it out with you first. You gave me your approval."

"But I thought you were going to be writing about somebody else, anybody else. Not me," he was still holding her.

The situation hit her squarely, "Oh," was all she said. "Oops," and then she gave him her brightest smile.

"Someday," he promised her and released her.

Shooing these last two guests out the front door, Gold said, "We'll be along in fif. . , twen. . . maybe, thirty minutes." Emma turned to follow them, but he stopped her.

"No dear. I paid over fifty thousand dollars for this dress and I'm going to start enjoying it."

Emma smiled, "Good, that means you want to wear it now?"

He smiled and shook his head, shutting the door behind their last departing guests. "Not exactly. I just want to see what it's like to make love to a woman wearing a fifty thousand dollar dress." He traced his finger along the low cut bodice. "While I like this, you actually look fantastic, I'm not sure I like other men being able to ogle my wife's. . . attributes."

She leaned back and closed her eyes, enjoying his warm hands drifting over her displayed skin.

He continued, "I am most curious about what undergarments you may be wearing underneath this. I am well acquainted with your trashy underwear habit."

She smiled at him. "I don't think you'll be disappointed. But I'm telling you, once I'm out of this dress, I'm not putting it back on. And I'm not laying down in this thing, I'll end up scraping off some of the crystals and pearls."

"Well, we still have so much of the celebration left and everyone in town wants to see you in this dress. I guess, I'll just have to come up with something we can do, with you keeping the dress on. . . ." He thought a moment, "And with you standing up" He considered several possibilities. "Here," he said, taking her into his study. He leaned her forward across his desk and, from behind, lifted her the volume of her dress up, bunching it on top of her back..

"I don't like this," she protested, "I can't see your face. I want to see you."

"You like it. I've heard you before, when I've taken you this way." He leaned forward to kiss her on the back of the neck, then pulled down her lacy thong, leaving it to puddle at her feet. He dropped his pants and, pleased to find that, despite her whining and objections, she was quite ready for him, he eased into her.

"Next time, you promise me, I can be on top."

_NEXT: Well I know there's going to be the celebration in the town's square and Regina's going to speak her piece and, well, maybe Rumple will make an appearance again, if I can get to it. txm _


	11. Wedding Party

+ + + + + _Dancing _

The crowd was already in full party mode when the wedded couple arrived. They were nearly forty-five minutes late (rather than the half-hour Gold had conjectured). There was a general shout-out and cheering for the duo. Gold had found their daughter and, holding her, was escorting his wife out into the center of the square for an official first dance. Truth be known, there had been considerable dancing going on before they got there, but the floor had quickly cleared for the wedded couple. Emma knew he was actually leaning on her, forgoing his cane for this specific event. She was worried about him stumbling or appearing awkward., but he was smiling and confident, He knew he was good at this, even with his bum leg.

"Just follow my lead, Princess," he directed her. She looked into his brown eyes and found herself falling under his spell. He was able to move her in gentle circles around the entire dance floor. Emma was relieved, for herself as much as for Gold, that soon enough, they were joined on the dance floor by Mary Margaret and David, then, Gold caught this out of the corner of his eye, Henry and Paige. Other couples quickly moved out onto the floor.

Mary Margaret drifted by them and said conspiratorially. "You're looking alittle flushed Emma. You sure you're feeling ok?"

Emma blushed, but managed to say, "I'm fine."

It was, after that, that others began to cut in to dance with the bride. First Archie, then David and then many of the other men in town followed suit. Gold, having graciously relinquished his bride for the moment, was making his way, carrying his daughter, slowly, without a cane, across the dance floor to the sidelines when he was joined by Ruby on the dance floor. She took Ysbael and allowed him to lean on her.

"Thought you might could use somebody to lean on," she said with her big smile.

"That I could, Miss Ruby. That I could.. Thank you," he was relieved. Without his cane and carrying his child, he was concerned about his balance and managing himself.

"Nice article about you," she continued talking.

"Not my idea, I assure you."

They had made it to the main table where there was a special seat set aside for the bride and groom. His cane had been set beside his chair.

As he sat down in it, Ruby said, "You are one complicated man. The article made you sound like a saint, but we both know you can be a complete bastard."

He smiled at her. "At least someone else in this town knows the truth. Thank you Ruby. Get yourself some champagne on me." Gold looked around at the open bar. "Well, I guess it's all on me." Ruby leaned in to give him a quick kiss and left him to join the dancing.

Gold watched the dancers, regretting his magic had not been sufficient to keep his leg healed. It was his gauge for how much he tapped into the lesser magic he had in this world, hurting more when he was pushing his limits. It didn't hurt that much at the moment. He was feeling there was magic that was helping him out, coming from Emma and his children. He looked down at baby Ysbael, sitting comfortably in his lap watching the proceedings. The child fairly sparked with magical energy. Had this come through the Dark One? He would not want to find out that his children were possessed as he was. At that moment, Ysbael looked up at him and smiled.

No, she was pure and innocent, he could feel that. As he had calculated, the children had just inherited some of the power, but not the dark source of it.

+ + + + + _Drinking_

Regina was standing on the sidelines of the dance floor, drinking prosecco. She was on her third glass. She had watched the guests of honor dance around the floor.

She was fuming. Him and his precious Emma Swan. He could have had her. She had always been more than willing. Damn his ass. She knew he was up to something, tying himself to the White-Charm family. He was so sure they were going to be The Winners.

Regina gulped down the remainder of her fizzy drink and signaled for a fourth glass. So much, so often, lately, she had begun to feel that he was using her, had used her all along. Like she was one small cog in a giant piece of machinery that he was steering somewhere. What was wrong with her that she still wanted him?

Regina had been watching as other dancers joined the wedding couple on the floor. At the end of the song, she saw the couples starting to switch partners. Emma went with Archie. Gold, probably pleading his leg, began to limp off with the brat. He was joined by the slut, Ruby, who helped him off. She watched as Emma danced with partner after partner. It was finally, when she was paired with Leroy, that Emma was steered over to the bar where she was standing. Of course Leroy was going for the liquor.

Emma swirled to a stop and breathlessly, asked for a glass of champagne which was promptly supplied. While she was drinking it, Regina managed to put a smile on her face and addressed Emma. "Enjoying yourself?"

Emma's antennae went up. "Immensely. You?"

"Just a peach of a time," she said acerbically. "He's taken you in completely, hasn't he?"

Emma recognized a drunk when she saw one. No doubt Regina wanted to spew some venom. She tried to get back onto the dance floor, but Regina managed to block her path. "He's using you, just like he used me. Like he uses everyone. I told you to be careful who you got in bed with. The man is a snake." Emma was still trying to maneuver around the mayor. "I'm telling you, you are going to roll over one morning and find that you've let a goblin into your bed."

Emma couldn't help but think of the green creature she knew was Gold's alter-ego, his other self. She smiled brightly at Regina. "Gosh, what did you do when that happened to you?" She knew from things Gold had admitted to her that he and Regina went way back and she guessed that included the green guy. At Regina's shocked expression, Emma knew she had guessed correctly. She gave her one more shot, "I guess when that happens, I'll just have to give him a kiss." She managed to break away and get herself back onto the dance floor where another partner quickly materialized.

Regina watched Emma until she lost her in the crowd. _How did she know about her and Rumple? Gold must have told her. _ Regina's line of sight was drawn back to Gold. She couldn't help it, couldn't help herself, couldn't stop herself. She went over to join him.

He smiled when he saw her. _Probably drunk, he thought. _"I'd ask you to dance, but I think I've exhausted my stamina."

"I don't recall that you ever had any problems with stamina, Rum. . . Gold," she said. She had pulled up a chair and sat next to him as one person after another came by, smiling, to shake his hand and congratulate him. She watched in amazement.

"When the hell did a complete shithead like yourself become the most popular man in town?" she asked him. "I think they'd rename the town Goldbrooke if you asked them to."

"Things started changing since Emma came to town, and, especially, since I married her. I guess I should thank you for drugging us and having us end up in bed together. It worked out. . . mostly well. Emma has apparently managed to clean up my reputation, not that I'm entirely happy about that."

Regina smiled, "I imagine not. You didn't often have to use muscle to get your way before. Fear and intimidation did the job." They sat quietly by each other before Regina spoke again. "You think Emma's going to win this election, don't' you?"

"Probably. If it looks close, I'm sure I can pull out something about you that would scare your supporters off. I could link you with Kathryn's disappearance without too much effort. There are a couple of other shady financial situations you've been involved with, besides this most recent embezzlement scheme. Things that could come out right before the election, pay-offs and bribes, those types of things."

"So then what happens? You've taken my magic, my son, my temporal powers as mayor. What then? Does the curse end?"

He smiled at her. "The curse will end when I want it to and not a moment before. I haven't found my son yet. And everything waits on that."

"That's what all this was about, wasn't it?" Regina said with sudden insight.

"Yes dearie. It took me a long time to figure out what to do, then to get the power with which to do it, then to find someone as strong and clever as yourself to cast the curse and then, finally to make sure there would be someone available to break the curse, if I should want that to happen."

"I fell right into your plans, didn't I? You had me sacrifice the thing I loved most, my father, to get us all here, so you could find your first born." Regina was seriously drunk by now. "You are one sick bastard. The lives you sacrificed to get what you wanted. Even now, you're just playing with these people. You don't care about any of them." Regina leaned in and she drummed her fingers on his chest as she spoke, "We're all just little stepping stones."

Gold was watching Regina as she began to build up. He saw a familiar face in the crowd, Archie. He signaled for him to come over.

"Dr. Hopper, Mayor Mills is a bit tipsy. Would you be able to help her home?" he asked.

"You lying son of a bitch!" she raised her voice.

"You're beginning to attract attention, dearie. And so close to the election. You don't want to be making a spectacle of yourself by attacking, what was it you said, oh yes, the most popular man in town. Now be a good girl. Let Archie take you home. . . please."

Gold watched Archie escort the sputtering Mayor out of the courtyard and back towards her house.

+ + + + + _Memories_

He sensed her, rather than saw her. He called out to her, "Zurie, come join me."

The cool, placid wedding planner, dressed as impeccably as himself, had been standing in the shadows watching the scene with the mayor. Zurie came over and sat by him. He couldn't help but admire her elegant, simple blue silk dress with her ever-present blue crystal necklace. He noted diamond earrings.

She shook her head. "Always posturing and ranting, that one. She never changes."

"You, however, are lovely, as always," he complimented her. "New earrings?"

"They are. Brought with the proceeds from my commission on this little affair."

He assayed them with the eye of a practiced appraiser. "Exquisite. You've done a fine job with this and you've been worth every penny."

"Thank you. It involved a great deal of work, but it's not quite as difficult as, say," she made direct eye contact with him "spinning straw into gold."

He looked back at her for a long moment. "Are the memories recent or have they been there awhile?" he finally asked.

"Some have been there for awhile." She confessed, "I was always wary of you, although I wasn't quite sure why. I felt both comfortable with you and terrified of you. Only recently have I realized why I felt this way and, if anything, I feel even more comfortable with you and even more terrified of you. You did all this, didn't you?"

"I did," he admitted.

She sighed, "Impressive, Dark One¸most impressive." She hesitated, then asked, "When this breaks apart, will we all go back to Fairyland?"

"Would you like that?"

She shook her head. "I like it here. I make a good living at a job I enjoy. I am around children everyday. I feel. . . warm, for the first time in a very, very long time," she thought a moment. "Yes. I would like to stay here."

"You've always been true and dependable, Zurie. I'll see what I can do," he promised.

+ + + + + _Sleepy_

It must have been three o'clock in the morning before they made it back home. Gold insisted on laying her back in the dress, pulling it all around them on the bed, and slowly took his time, kissing his way up her stocking clad legs. Pulling the dress up to her waist, he revealed what he had seen earlier, bridal white, lace and silk. He removed her panties first, then caressed her with his hands, then followed with his mouth. She shivered and tried to bring her legs together.

"No dear, don't close your legs to me. I thought I had taught you a lesson about that." He smiled wickedly at her. "Or do you need a refresher course on being a good wife."

Emma smiled back at him. She was sleepy, so sleepy. "Maybe. But perhaps I could teach you something about being a good husband."

"That might be very interesting."

Emma was suddenly quite awake, still in the bridal gown, but now standing outside of the cage in the cavern. It took her but a moment to realize she was _sans_ panties.

The Creature was sitting in his chair, mostly in the dark. "It's been awhile, Princess. A long while."

"Yes it has," she admitted. "I wondered what had happened to you."

"I was here. Always here. You weren't ready, not ready to come back."

She knew he was referring to her new knowledge that he could bring her _into_ his cage; she hadn't known this before the birth of her . . . their. . . daughter. "You can bring me into the cage, anytime, can't you?"

He smiled, "Yes. You would have been too frightened of me earlier. But now. . . " he waved his hand and the bars were behind her back. There was nothing separating them. Nowhere for her to go.

"You brought me here, tonight?"

"I did," he admitted.

"Why?"

"Don't you know?"

She shook her head. He couldn't mean.. . He wouldn't want. . .

"Princess, wedding night."

Her blood went cold.

_NEXT: Emma and Rumple, oh my, what will happen now? _


	12. Cage Door

Ok, fun and games and alittle smutty in this chapter. Hope it amuses. txm

+ + + + _Cage Door_

Her blood went cold. She was trapped . . . in the cage. . . with _him_.

She adopted her best 'Sheriff Voice', "Listen, I know you want to have this relationship with me," she started.

"I will, Princess, I will," he promised her, speaking in a calm, low voice. He was sitting in his chair, with one foot drown up into the chair. His elbows rested on the arms of the chair and he had steepled his fingers below his chin. He seemed most relaxed.

"OK, I don't really understand what is going on with the two worlds and these dreams that seem so real."

He smiled at her, "It's all real, dearie,"

She glared at him, "Whatever, I still don't feel connected to you," she tried to explain.

He shrugged, "That's because we haven't had sex yet."

She shook her head. "Absolutely not! I've told you. I don't _feel _like you are my husband or anybody I really know, for that matter." She was beginning to feel some anger, "And I don't like having someone try to intimidate or pressure me."

"Of course not, my dear," he was quite conciliatory. "Here," he suddenly held a carafe filled with a sparkling golden liquid in one hand and poured it into the two glasses that were set on a table next to him, "Drink," he handed her one of the glasses.

She hesitated, thinking of, who was it? Persephone eating six pomegranate seeds and being condemned to hell for six months of the year.

He smirked at her. "Not poison," he assured her as if reading her mind and took a drink from his own glass. "For celebration. For baby."

She smelled the liquid. Definitely some form of alcohol. "Are you trying to get me drunk and lower my inhibitions?" she asked directly.

"Could be," he agreed. He downed his own glass and promptly poured himself a second glass. "But unlikely."

Reluctantly she sipped it and was pleasantly surprised. "Hey, it's pretty good. Is it a type of beer?"

He pulled a face. "No. It's mead, made from honey. My own recipe."

"OK, that's something different."

"Down. Sit down," he directed, materializing the chair he had put outside the cage, bringing it into the cage. She complied. It hadn't been so comfortable standing. He continued to sit, gazing at her awhile. "Nice dress," he complimented her, drawing out the words.

"Gold paid enough for it," she responded.

"Getting his money's worth?"

"I'm thinking so."

He smiled. "Me too." Then he asked, "How's Angharad?"

She startled. But, of course, he would know the baby's true name. "Growing. She's awake a lot and looks around alot. She's almost sitting up on her own."

"And you and Gold. Trust him?"

Emma smiled. "Not entirely," she admitted.

"Good. He's not entirely trust. . .worthy." He separated the word into two parts to emphasize the 'worthy' part. He then got up and came over to Emma. He crouched down so that he was eye to eye with her. He traced his fingers around her face, touching her cheek and her hair.

"Neither are you," she said, resisting the urge to pull back from the blackened nails as they touched her skin.

He smiled. "No, Princess, I'm not."

"You think I'm going to let you touch me," more of a statement that a question.

"I do," he continued to touch her face, her neck, her shoulders.

She stood up, backing away from him. "I want to go now."

He shook his head, "No."

Emma took a deep breath, closed her eyes and _imagined _herself outside of the cage. She opened her eyes. She had not moved.

The creature was looking at her, puzzled. "Whatever are you doing?"

"Gold keeps telling me I can transport myself. I was giving it a shot." Emma shrugged. "It obviously didn't work."

"The cage has magic. You can transport things into and out of it and transport within it. But you cannot transport yourself out," he explained. He sat himself down back in the chair. "If it worked that way," he snapped his fingers, "I could have transported myself out a long time ago," he explained as if to a dull child.

"Then how will I get out?"

"Ah, one of two ways, Princess. Open the door or wake up" He laughed, almost giggling, at her and smiled, shaking his head. "The mead you drank, it will be awhile before you can wake up," at her angry expression, he added, "But you will wake up. . . eventually."

She latched onto the first option. "But I can open the door to the cage?"

He nodded. "It's only me who cannot."

She reached for it. "But if I open it. . ."

He finished for her, "Then I go with you." He smiled again.

She considered. She was standing next to the cage door. "Anyone except you can open the door?" she had to confirm it.

He nodded.

"So what if I'm really, really fast, opening and closing the door."

"Promise you, you won't be fast enough," he assured her, "I will follow you out."

Emma hesitated. She had seen him move. He was right, very right. He was capable of being very, very fast. Getting out through the door was not an option. So she was trapped until she could wake up. Trapped with an amorous, enormously powerful entity for an indefinite time.

"You understand now?" he said with a bit of a smirk.

"Yeah¸ sounds like you've worked this out so you'll win either way. If I try to leave, you'll follow me and get out of the cage. If I stay, you will do everything you can to . . . to. . . " Emma wasn't sure the best words to use.

"To have my wicked way with you," he finished for her. Now he was smiling. He moved quickly, getting up and coming over to her, his movements almost gliding. She tried to shift but he was there and had planted his hands on either side of her, effectively trapping her between his body and the cage bars. He leaned in, his face close to hers, the green-gold skin shimmering as if lit from within.

She raised her hands to block him from getting any closer, but soon found that her strength was nothing compared to his. She realized that he could easily crush her into himself and for the first time, she was truly frightened.

He sniffed her neck. "Princess," he cooed. "Princess, don't be frightened. I don't want to hurt you. I don't plan to hurt you. I can give you great pleasure."

She pushed as hard as she could against him, not budging him. "No, I don't want you."

He pushed in harder, crushing her arms between their bodies, "But I want you."

He was kissing her, his mouth angling into hers, forcing it open. She continued to push against him, but found her resolve wavering. He was dominating her, taking the decision out of her hands, forcing her to kiss him back. She could feel his hands on her body now, one arm circling her waist, the other moving to hold her face in place so that he could continue kissing her.

Emma felt dizzy, disoriented, overwhelmed. She was losing this battle. She had a moment of supreme disorientation and realized that she was no longer standing up. She was lying on her back on his bed. He was laying on top of her, continuing to kiss her, now beginning to use his hands to pull down the dress from her shoulders, and, more alarming, pulling the dress up over her hips.

She felt increasingly desperate. She had always been confident of her ability to fight off an attacker, but he was stronger and more determined than anyone that she had ever encountered before. And he had her at such a disadvantage.

Then something occurred to her.

She managed to pull her mouth away from his, "Rumplestiltskin," she murmured.

He pulled away and looked closely at her. He was still for a long time, just looking at her.

She smiled up at him and, hoping, hoping, hoping that for whatever his equipment might look like, she was hoping that he still had all the foibles of a human male. Still smiling, she abruptly brought her knee up, sharply, connecting with him between his legs as hard as she could. There was a sharp intake of breath and she felt his grip slacken. She was able to push him off of her.

Emma rolled out of the bed and made a bee-line for the cage door, praying he had not mis-led her about being able to open it. She would be in very serious trouble if she couldn't get herself out of the cage at this point. The door gave away and she was out. She pulled it to behind herself, closing the door again, and then she ran, running down the cavern towards the outside world, running, knowing it would be dark, running, but it would be away from here, running, away from him. She could hear him behind her. Was he howling or laughing?

Outside of the cavern, breathless, she stepped into the bushes that grew near the cavern entrance, pulling the unwieldy white dress up around her body. White, of course, she would be wearing white. It would reflect every little bit of moonlight and starlight. But she had to try to hide herself. She had to try to catch her breath. She needed to consider her options.

What had she done? He was likely to be furious with her. She suspected that Rumplestiltskin was capable of cruelty; she had seen occasional flashes of Gold's darkest side to know this. If he ever got out, if he ever caught up with her, would he hurt her? Being the mother of his children likely wouldn't protect her.

When she heard his voice coming from directly behind her, she nearly fainted.

"Smart Princess. Finally figured out my name. Very good. But wearing white. Easy to see." She felt his arms come around her and was enveloped in darkness and dizziness. The bushes and mountain behind her winked out and, despite the darkness, she knew she was in a room, a large dark room.

"My home, my sweet." He turned her around to face him. "It appears that both of my goals will be accomplished this night. I have escaped from the cage and," he grinned at her, "I will still get to have my way with you."

He had an incredibly strong grip on Emma and, even as she did everything she could to stop him, he managed to drag her up stairs and into a bedroom. The four-poster bed was set in the middle of the room, dominating it. It was piled with pillows and soft throws. He waved a hand and flung away decades of dust and, unceremoniously, he picked Emma up and dumped her onto the bed. He then leaped onto her, pinning her down. He was rapidly removing her dress, peeling it down her arms, dragging it down her body, revealing her white lacey corset with garters and stockings.

"Not wearing panties, Princess? I approve." His hand swept up her leg, above the stocking and then he gently trailed his fingers across the sensitive juncture between her legs.

Mortified, unable to stop him, Emma recalled that she had left the panties back in Gold's bedroom, that he liked her, like to take her while she kept on just the corset and stockings. What had been playful costuming was now a dangerous invitation. Emma could not stop struggling, swinging out with her fist, kicking out with her legs, but she had not been able to connect, not this time. He finally lay on top of her, locking her legs down with his own, holding her by each wrist which he had stretched out away from her body.

"Princess, stop," he commanded.

She quit thrashing. What was he going to say? What was he going to do? What was he going to do to her? She was breathing heavily, partly from her struggles, partly dealing with his weight upon her.

She made eye contact with him, noting his eyes had nearly glazed over. "You know, you know I can finish this. I can immobilize you with physical restraints. I can immobilize you with magic. I can immobilize you with passion. Which will it be?"

Emma was furious with him. He was intent on forcing her, on raping her. "You son of a bitch! If you to try to go through with this, if you force me, you will know that this is not what I want! It'll be rape and nothing more. And I will hate you for it. I won't ever forgive you for it," she promised him.

He was still lying on top of her, still restraining her. She was not expecting his next move. He abruptly pushed himself off of her and settled himself on the corner of the bed. He let out an exasperated sigh. "Bah. I want you willing. I don't know why, but it seems important to me."

Emma struggled to sit up, retrieving her wedding dress and pulling it back on, up and over her shoulders. She sat up on the opposite side of the bed, eyeing Rumpelstiltskin, wary, not sure if he would abruptly change his mind and attack her again.

He suddenly smiled at her, "You do owe me a favor, don't you?"

"Nuh uh. I owe Gold a favor," she corrected him.

He was obviously irritated with her, well more likely furious. His eyes narrowed. "Why, why do you keep saying this like we are two different people?" he glowered at her. He slid off the bed. "Pretty Princess. Only willing to lay with her husband." He smiled at her as if he had a sudden thought. . . new plan. "Sleep, Princess, sleep in this world." He directed and slowly he brought his hand down near her face, palm-forward, dragging it downward without quite touching her. Emma struggled to stay awake.

_What would happen if she went to sleep in this world? Would he molest her while she slept. Would she ever know it if he did_

+ + + + + _On Top_

She was back with Gold, lying on their bed. "Emma, Emma, Are you all right?" he seemed concerned. He had removed the wedding tuxedo and was clad in his usual boxers. Emma was still clad in her wedding dress, surprised to find that it was none the worse for wear.

She answered his question, forcing herself to breathe deeply and slowly. "Yeah, I was with the creature. He brought me into the cage and when I left, I thought I had closed the door behind me. I _know_ I closed it. But he got out. I let him out of the cage! I don't know how it happened."

Gold shook his head. "He tricked you. Once the door to the cage is opened, the spell locking it is broken, even if the door itself is reclosed."

"Well shit, He didn't tell me that. I ran away, but he caught me and took me to what he said was his house. He dragged me into a bedroom and tried to . . . force me."

Gold looked at her somberly, closing his eyes and rubbing his forehead. "I'm sorry. He is part of me and really does care for you. He doesn't understand why you don't want him as much as he wants you"

"Or as much as I want you?"

He smiled. "Exactly." Gold handed her some iced water to drink, explaining, "You've had a lot a champagne. You need the water or you'll wake up with a hangover."

Emma dutifully drank some of the water, set the glass on the end table next to the bed and held out her arms to him. Gold came into them.

"Wait," she told him as he began to kiss her on the mouth, pushing her back and down into the pillows.

"Whaaat?"

"You promised me, I could be on top."

He looked puzzled. "When did I do that? Why did I do that?"

'This afternoon or rather yesterday afternoon, after the wedding, when you had me bend over for you. You promised that next time I could be on top."

He made a face at her, but sighed. "Well, if I said that, I said it."

Emma sat up and pushed him so that he was the one to lie on his back. "Put your hands behind your head," she directed. He complied. "Now let's see something here." She noticed the glass of ice water. That was what she was looking for. She pulled her voluminous dress up and made sure it was covering his face. Not quite the same as being blindfolded but similar enough.

"Smells good," he told her from under the dress skirt. "Like vanilla."

"Uh hum," she responded. She knelt at his side and began to trail her hair and kisses, lips, and tongue along different points of his body. She gently pulled off his shorts. She would often brush his erect member with her hair or part of her dress, tantalizing but not satisfying. She reached for the water and took out two of the ice chips. Holding the smaller of the two chips in her mouth, she went down on him, taking his entire length abruptly into her mouth. The unexpected combination of heat and cold almost immediately sent him over the edge.

"Damn Princess!" he gasped. "I won't be able to stand much of this."

"Uh hum," she murmured, using her tongue to send the ice chip around and up and down his length. She began to touch him with the other chip, his stomach, the outside of his thigh, the inside of his thigh, any place she thought he might find it. . . . oh, what was the word. . . oh yes, stimulating.

When she thought she had brought him to the brink, she pulled back, quite happy to hear the man grown. "That enough of the cold," she told him. "Let have some heat." And she straddled and mounted him, easily impaling herself, filling herself with his ever warm, ever sturdy, ever presence. It somehow felt different, felt better than before and she told him so, again and again.

Unable to contain himself, he sat up, the dress falling from his face, the fabric caught between them. He grasped her tightly to him and he pushed her back, pulling her off her knees, switching their positions, so that he was on top. She was feeling so completed that she allowed him to do so, without protesting, knowing that he would rock her into waves of intense pleasure. Hmmm. Cinnamon, as always. She collapsed afterwards into sleep.

When she woke up, she realized that things had changed. She was not in bed with Gold.

_NEXT: Emma confronts Rumple_

_The Fairies return_


	13. The Fairies Return

You may not remember, but some time ago (Chapter 8), we left Rumple waiting for the Green Fairy sitting in a dirty bedroom in a dingy castle. We pick back up with his story at this point.

We'll see how things are going. It looks like the writers are going with Stockholm Syndrome Belle who wants the ordinary man (not the exotic, powerful imp that we've grown to care about – magic and deviousness and all)

Thanks for all the kind reviews. txm

+ + + + + _The Waiting is Over_

_There was a discreet knock at the door. "Come in," I said._

_The door opened slowly and the Green Witch came in. She stopped as she entered and looked around the room, looking for me, making eye contact. She smiled and bowed low to me. I was pleased to see, at least, a pretense of deference. But I knew better. I knew she was there to kill me._

_I nodded to her. "Lady Green," I began. I decided to move directly to her reason for wanting to see me and let her know immediately that I was on top of my game. "Or should I call you Giselle?"_

_I was pleased to see her blanch, but she quickly recovered. She glanced at my little fairy, still kneeling at my side, who had now started to cry. _

"_He gave me no choice, sister. He gave me no choice," she sobbed. "He made me tell him your names, your powers, everything about you."_

_I let her talk. It was good for the Green Witch to hear the extent of my powers. . . and learn what I knew about them. _

_The Green Fairy spoke calmly and reassuringly to her little sister, "It's alright, dear. It will be alright," she said to her. _

"_How do you figure that, Giselle?" I asked her, pointedly. "Do you think I'm just going to let you take the Lilac Fairy and walk away? Do you think I'm just going to let _you_ walk away?"_

_She turned her attention back to me. She stood for a moment, sighed and then slowly smiled. "No, Rumplestiltskin, no." She took several steps into the room. "I did not come here unprepared. I did not come here alone."_

_I did not sense their arrival, but stepping out of the shadows of the room were a fairy dressed in dark red, crimson, with long feathers all over her dress and in her hair, and, next to her, was a fairy in bright yellow with yellow diamonds and pearls all over her dress. I, of course, recognized them. _

"_Lady Christa and Lady Yvonne," I nodded a greeting to them. Three against one. I briefly considered teleporting myself and my little fairy away. But arrogant, as self-assured, as confident as I was, I thought, what could they do to me?_

"_Rumplestiltskin, we would bargain with you," The Lady Giselle moved to the other side of the room and, as I watched the Crimson Fairy position herself in front of me and the Yellow Fairy continue in her place on the opposite side of the Green Fairy, I realized they were, as they could, with my back to the wall, essentially surrounding me. This was a plan of attack. Any bargain they put forth would likely be a ploy and a distraction._

"_And for what would you bargain?" I asked watching the three._

"_Our little sister, of course," came the response. _

"_And with what would you bargain?" I was actually curious as to what they might offer me._

"_We will allow you to go away from this place unscathed," the Green Fairy smiled._

"_And if I say 'no'?" I asked, nearly scoffing. That was all they were going to offer?_

"_Then we will curse you and take our little sister."_

_I pretended to consider their offer, but then shook my head. I patted the little fairy's head. "I don't know. I have come to enjoy your sister. Very much," I looked directly into their eyes going from one to the other. "You know she still cries when I fuck her and I do that. . . a lot. I enjoy doing . . . that. If you take her away, I think I might actually miss her." I took a deep breath. "So no, I think I'll pass up your 'bargain'."_

_The Green Fairy hung her head. "We anticipated as much." She sighed. "Let me show you what I can do, Rumplestiltskin," She had called my name for the third time and gestured. Even as I was preparing to drain their powers, I felt a magical wall come down between us. She had successfully blocked me from pulling on, from pulling away and draining their talents. Nonetheless, I was still a very strong creature and I prepared to stand and physically take them down, going after the Green Fairy the first._

_But she then turned to the Crimson Fairy. "Sister, why don't you show him what you can do?"_

_The Crimson witch flung out her arms and called my name three times and I was astonished. I was not able to move. She had successfully bound my powers and my body. Bitch. This was unforeseen. The Lilac Fairy had somehow managed to successfully hide these skills from me._

_It was then time for the Yellow Fairy to do her magic. She also spoke my name three times and uttered her curse. "You will hear the pleas of all and make deals whenever they are offered to you, you will be compelled to deal with others, you will not be able to resist making deals." She paused a moment, then continued, "And you will always keep your word." She took a breath and she waved a wand at me and I felt the curses wash over me. _

"_Bitch-witches," I was furious. "I will kill you three and I will keep your little sister as my whore, as my slave. I will seek out and kill any fairy that I can." I promised them and pushed as hard as I could against the Crimson Fairy's binding. _

+ + + + + _Emma Wakes Up_

When Emma woke up, she realized that things had changed. She was not in bed with Gold. There was a definite feeling of strangeness.

She was back in the creature's, uhm, Rumplestiltskin's bedroom. She could see better in the morning light. She was in a big room. A big bed. Yes, and her bed companion was a green skinned goblin. _Oh damn._

She began to pummel him with one of the many pillows on the bed. She heard herself screaming, "You bastard, you bastard, you bastard!"

She had startled him awake, being hit repeatedly with a pillow having that effect on even a green skinned goblin.

"You tricked me! You tricked me! You tricked me!"

He shielded himself with an arm. "You don't have to keep repeating yourself. I heard you the first time," he said evenly.

"You devil! You tricked me into having sex with you."

He looked at her, steadily. "It worked out pretty well, didn't it?"

"NO!" she felt like she was continuously screaming at him. "You made me believe you were Gold. You knew I would never willingly get into your bed if I knew it was you."

He stretched, the covers slipping off his chest, revealing more green-gold skin than she was comfortable seeing. "Well, I would feel worse if you hadn't kept telling me that it was, how did you put it? Oh yes, 'better than ever before'." He grinned wickedly at her, knowing he was throwing it in her face, knowing she would be mortified and humiliated by what had been her obvious, vocal, blatant enjoyment of their time together.

e

"Oh no," Emma hid her face. She had said that and more, hadn't she? Over and over again. _As good as it always was with Gold, with Rumple it had been the best. She should have recognized the difference. _She clutched her head in her hands. "Oh God. Oh God. Oh God! You tricked me. You tricked me."

"You're still repeating yourself," he said, this time some annoyance really showing through. "You had an excellent time, like I told you would happen." He put his hands on her shoulders, stilling her momentarily. "Emma, you knew who I was last night, who Gold was, who we were." He grinned at her. "Rumplestiltskin is a trickster. I had told you not to trust me. You knew I could make myself look differently." He let her go and shrugged. "I just changed my appearance into someone you were more willing to tolerate in your bed and we both had a good time. For me, my sweet, it's been more than thirty years, but even so, even comparing you to many others, I have to say, you were one of the best."

Emma sat up, holding the sheet around herself and looked around for her clothes. This all seemed too familiar.

He watched her. "I thought you told Regina that if you woke up with a Goblin in your bed, you would roll over and give him a kiss?"

She glared at him. "I guess I will have to go back and tell her that I hit him with a pillow."

"And cursed at him. Don't forget that," he reminded her. He watched her another moment. "Don't you want to have a second go, Princess? Well, maybe I should say a fourth go?" The bastard was still grinning at her.

She continued to glare at him. "I need to get back. I have to feed my baby."

He smiled at her. "Time is not the same here. You have plenty of time before our baby gets hungry." He rolled over onto his stomach, reached up and caught her hands in each one of his, pulling her back down into the bed. "Relax, Princess, close your eyes. Hang on for the ride."

He was kissing her again and overpowering her and taking her down with him. He wasn't giving her time and he wasn't giving her the chance to resist, and he was taking her, hard and persistently. She felt herself, building and shivering and responding, exploding and coming apart in his arms. He released her wrists to pull her legs up around his waist and she wrapped her arms around him, holding him, clinging to him. She felt him pouring into her, his body clenching above her as he reached his own release.

He rested on top of her a moment, before lifting himself up, and rolling off.

"Princess that was excellent. Abit quick, but quality over quantity." He was smiling, why shouldn't he be smiling?

Emma felt like crying. She had given in to him, totally given into him. Again. _What was wrong with her_ ? Oh lord, this was what she had gone through when she had first started building a relationship with Gold and had repeatedly succumbed to his charms and her own rampant libido. She had repeatedly castigated herself for giving in to the man and here she was doing the same thing with his counterpart.

She stole a side glance at him. Well, if you could get over the skin color, which was actually kinda interesting in an exotic way, everything else was pretty much Gold. The voice was different and the mannerisms were more over the top, but the caustic, penetrating wit, which was so much a part of Gold, was the same for both of them. She took a deep breathe. Well, this was a start. Maybe, soon enough, she'd work up enough courage to check him out below the waist. . . but not today.

"Give me a kiss, my princess," he directed her.

Still nervous and unsure, she leaned over and gently touched her lips to his. She closed her eyes because, well, it helped. His lips were, as always, surprisingly smooth and cool. She felt his hand on the back of her head and then responded as his tongue came into her mouth. She felt that period of disorientation, not sure if it was her response to the creature or . . .

She was back in her bed, really her bed . . . in Storybrooke,, , with Gold, , , the real Gold.

He was sitting up, bare-chested, in the bed with his back to the headboard. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, sure, why do you ask?" Emma managed to get out. _Was she really back? How could she ever know?_

"Well, you kinda passed out last night," he told her.

"Well, it was really late. Sorry," she slipped out of bed and rifled through the top drawer looking for some underwear. "I didn't realize it was so late. I need to go and get Ysbael from Granny's." She heard herself chattering on and realized she must be sounding nervous. She was pulling on jeans and grabbed a shirt from the closet.

"It was really late," he said quietly.

"Yeah, and after all that dancing and champagne, I'm surprised I was able to walk upstairs. Sorry, I went out on you." She had found her Doc Martins and, after pulling on some black socks, was pushing her feet into them and lacing them up. She was about ready to leave out.

Still sitting quietly, observing her, Gold finally said. "How come you never tried that ice trick with me?"

+ + + + + _Voices_

_I could feel it unraveling._

_The Crimson Fairy stepped back from me. She was struggling. "He's breaking my spell!" she shouted. _

_The other two ran in and pulled my Lilac Fairy away from me, I was intent on pushing and pulling my way out of the Crimson Fairy's bonds and could not stop them. I reached out with my magic and caught the Crimson bitch in my grasp and began to strangle her. The other two tried to physically pull her away, but she gasped, "Go, he has a hold upon me. You'll not break it. Go! Or he will kill you, too!" _

_I heard Giselle shout, "We will not abandon you!" and she let go of the Lilac Fairy and caught hold of her Crimson sister. In the chaos, I saw the Yellow Fairy blink out, taking my little Lilac Fairy with her. The Green Fairy managed to make eye contact with me even as the Crimson Fairy began to fall, her breathing stopping, her heart stopping. In a calm, clear voice The Green Fairy held up her hand, blocking my spells and she said to me, "You have just made some powerful enemies, Rumplestiltskin. Killing a fairy invites some serious consequences."_

_I threw off the remaining shreds of their spells, beyond fury. I lunged forward, because only my hands around her throat would satisfy my anger, but I grabbed only material, a silken leaf from the Green Fairy's garment. I heard her. just barely, a whisper, "When _she_ can forgive you, the curse will be broken." _

_Thwarted, impotent with anger, I cursed the kingdom that had harbored the Green Fairy. Nothing would grow, nothing would prosper, nothing would flourish or thrive for a hundred years. _

_The voices hit me then. A roar of a thousand voices. I could hear them all, I could not stop hearing them. People wanting something, wanting so much, willing to give so much, anything. I went to my knees clasping my hands over my ears as if that would shut out the voices._

_I returned to my house, empty, lonely, companionless, still trying to shut out the voices, trying to quiet my brain. _

_The Fairies in many ways had won. They knew that I would not now be able to resist a deal, that my entire existence would now be tied to making deals, to seeking out those who were willing to bargain, that I would hear constantly the voices of those who were willing to do anything, anything for their heart's desire. And, because of my talent at seeing the future, I would focus my time and energies to make sure that my deals would work out in my favor. I heard their voices, their thoughts as noises in my head; and it overwhelmed me, so much desperation, so much desire. I could not shut it out. This would interfere and distract me from my creation of The Curse. This, and the rescue of the Lilac Fairy, had been their plan all along, once they had failed to entice me into going in to another world with no magic, failed to entice me in following my son out of this world. _

_I would not rest until I had brought them all low, until I had destroyed them all, except for my sweet Lilac Fairy. She would not die. She would live to suffer as I had suffered._

+ + + + + _Confession_

"I guess you're wondering why I didn't say anything?" Emma had her back to her husband, her hand on the doorknob.

He let her stand for awhile before answering, "I figured you were too embarrassed at being totally taken in by my counterpart."

She let out a deep breath. "Oh God, I didn't know what. . . how. . . what. . . I should say." She turned back to him, her hand behind her still holding onto the doorknob. "I didn't know. I felt used and tricked. And it was really, really good. And I felt that I had betrayed you because it was really, really good. And I liked it."

She was surprised to see that he was smiling at her. "That's good to know." He stretched in a move reminiscent of Rumplestiltskin. "You need to go now, my sweet. You need to go feed your baby."

Emma looked down and saw that she was leaking milk. "Well darn." She turned to open the door and, to the hallway, she said, "You know I really believed it was you. I would never have willingly gotten into his bed."

"I know, Emma, I know."

She had left and didn't get to see him, still sitting back in their bed, smiling, ever broader, until he began to laugh.

_NEXT: Election and Regina has a final say_

_And, at some point, Forgiveness_


	14. The Wedding Gift

_A.N. Sorry there has been a bit of delay getting this chapter out. I was anticipating a struggle with writer's block as I moved this story to closure, but then had an epiphany for a new story-line. Like a new baby, I ended up attending to this new idea (about 5,000 words into it) rather than keeping up with this old baby. Back on this story now. txm _

+ + + + + _A Wedding Gift_

The man was incorrigible. _Which one?_ she asked herself.

Well, both of them. Same person indeed. They both enjoyed making people feel ill at ease. Both enjoyed having the upper hand. And both had made it pretty clear, they enjoyed her company. . . well, maybe company wasn't quite the right word, here. What was it they enjoyed? her body, her booty, her boobies, her brain, yeah, that was it. They liked her for her brain.

Emma had had difficulties calming herself down after the morning's embarrassing confrontation/confession with Gold. He had seemed more amused than anything else _Thank goodness, not jealous or angry. _She had to take deep breaths or she knew she would have trouble feeding Ysbael and then the normally placid child would have a temper outburst.

Ysbael's temperament certainly reminded Emma of Gold's. She was almost always low-key, even laid back, not easily perturbed, but when upset, she became furious and was not quickly consolable. Yeah, she was just like Gold.

Emma considered. Henry was more like her, intense, passionate, but not usually prone to going completely off the deep end. She looked down at her daughter. The baby had kept the very dark eyes, so dark they almost looked black. Her hair was very dark also, but she had pale skin. If she kept this coloring, she would certainly be quite the beauty.

Emma giggled. Either Gold or Rumple as a hovering daddy to a lovely teenage Ysbael was going to be something to behold. She could see some poor kid with a cracking voice coming by to take Ysbael out to the prom; Gold would eat him alive. She could see Ysbael, narrowing those dark eyes of hers and glowering at her father, "Oh be nice to this one, Daddy. I kinda like him."

She smiled. "Hope you have better luck managing your father than I do, Ysbael." Emma had taken the baby back to the sheriff's office and was sitting in one of the jail cells. She knew that would probably strike people as a bit odd, but inside the cell there was a comfortable place to sit and there was privacy. David was out on routine patrol so the facility was empty. She was engrossed with her baby and did not hear anyone approach.

"Well, Ms. Gold, sitting in a jail cell. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Damn. It was Regina.

"It's comfortable and private. I'm feeding the baby." Not quite sure why, she added. "Ashley will be along shortly and collect her, but I was enjoying a little quiet time."

"I really hadn't expected to see you out and about this morning, what with last night being more or less your wedding night."

"More rather than less," retorted Emma. "I really hadn't expected to see you out and about this morning, what with last night having been more or less your time to tie one on. Quite a bit you had to drink there, wasn't it?

Regina bristled but then smiled. "I needed it to get through that farce last night and, besides, Gold was buying."

"Is there something I can help you with?" Emma asked her directly.

"Yes, I thought you'd want to let little Miss Blanchard know the money that had disappeared from the Sheriff's office, apparently turned up in a sub account tied into sewer funds. There had been a break in the one of the main lines and some emergency funds were drafted. Because there hadn't been a deputy until you were hired, it was taken out of what would have been the deputy's salary. It just happened to fall at the same time you were hired but accounting didn't catch that. All of the twenty thousand dollars has surfaced. Not sure how all that with your personal account was involved. Especially that part involving the little sex toys. How embarrassing that must have been."

"Oh Regina, you know as well as I that while Gold may like the occasional fun and games, he doesn't need a whole lot to keep him up and interested." Emma hesitated. "Well, I guess you would know that. That's certainly how it's working for me."

"Yeah, well right," replied Regina sullenly. She recovered quickly and huffed, "Well, I just came by to let you know that the situation had been resolved and our citizens are none the worse."

"You really think that don't you?" Emma said. "As long as things get worked out, it's all just all right. If nobody finds out about things, that's ok too." She shook her head. "I don't think like that. If something is wrong, it's wrong whether anybody knows about it or not."

"Well, you're new to politics, my dear. It's surprising what you can accept when you've been in office for a while and you have to make a choice between the lesser of two evils."

"The lesser of two evils, is still evil," observed Emma, detaching her daughter and fastening herself up. The baby was taking a little nap, but if she followed true to form, she would soon wake up and want to play. Emma carried her out of the cell and laid her down in a bassinet she had set up in the corner of the office. She was half expecting to hear Regina make some remark about getting the children used to being in jail or having a parent in jail or something of that type, but she didn't. _What was she waiting for?_

Regina sighed. "I know you're probably wondering why I came by."

Emma raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I never got around to giving you a wedding present on either occasion. You're a difficult couple to buy for, especially considered Gold's wealth and possessions." She reached in her purse and pulled out a small box. "This may have some sentimental value to Gold." She handed it to Emma and stalked out.

_What was it Gold had told her? Oh yes, never take anything your enemy offers you. _Emma had struggled to learn that particular lesson. Should she open the box? No, better wait and clear it with Gold. With her luck it could be a coral snake or some kind of mean spider just waiting for her to take the lid off.

+ + + + + _Election Day_

It was, at last, Election Day. The polls were heavily attended. It looked like everyone in town was voting. Mary Margaret was busy doing exit polling.

She burst in on the Gold household, which was serving as their campaign headquarters. Milling about the house were Gold, Emma, Baby Ysbael, Henry, Paige, Leroy, Archie, and David, among others. Several of the sisters had actually dropped by (at Emma's invitation)

"Well," began Mary Margaret, breathlessly, "maybe everybody is lying, but Emma is running three or four votes to one against Regina. It's looking like it may be a landslide." She grabbed a glass of champagne and gulped it.

Gold looked at her with a bland expression on his face. "I would not recommend we begin celebrating until all the votes are in."

"Let's tune in to the local media," somebody suggested.

Emma had installed a television in the kitchen. _She had been stunned to find out that Gold didn't own a set and rectified that asap. _She had it hauled out into the living room and placed in a central location for The Event. She made some popcorn and pulled out some of Gold's high priced cheese and crackers to serve people. Mary Margaret had brought some cola for the children and there was champagne for all the adults. Everyone was standing or sitting around the set, munching and drinking something or taking turns holding Ysbael.

"Do you think something bad is going to happen? Like Regina's gonna call voter fraud or something?" Emma asked.

"No, it's too late for her to try something like that. I think more likely that she will try to kill us," he said this like he was discussing the weather.

"Kill us! Like how would she do that? Send in a hired gun. Poison our food. Send in a bomb. Oh my God!" Emma dashed back to her pocketbook and pulled out the small box that Regina had given her. She handed it gingerly to Gold while she told him, "Regina came by and gave me this the other day, as a 'Wedding Present.' She said it might have some sentimental value for you."

Gold took it and looked closely at it. Without any hesitation he opened it.

Emma nearly wet herself. "How did you know that wasn't some kind of bomb?"

"Not her style. This is something more insidious. Something more horrible."

He took out the little ornate wooden box that was inside the gift box.

He sighed. "Emma, I'm not sure you need to see this."

"Oh, now I've got to know what it is," she was thinking _how horrible can it be, it's just a little box._

"You remember that a long time ago, Regina and I were . . . more than just friends and she eventually had my child."

"Yes, you told me. You said, you said," Emma hesitated. "That she smothered the baby right after its, her birth."

Gold nodded. "Regina also inherited a particularly gruesome talent from her mother, one of my former students also." He paused a moment. Emma could tell this was most distasteful for him. "Cora found she could remove people's hearts."

"Like Graham's?"

"Exactly. Cora would do this to people whom she wanted to punish or kill. Cora loved hearts so much that she eventually acquired quite the collection. I used to call her The Queen of Hearts." He paused another moment. "But that's another story. Regina found she could do the same. She preferred to keep the hearts in wooden boxes, some plain, some ornate, depending on the person. This box is very small and very ornate. I suspect it contains the heart of the child that we had together."

"That bitch! What would she gain from sending it to you?"

"Alarm. Disgust. Fear. It's a warning. She wants us to know that she is capable of anything." He looked at Emma. "Would you object if I just spirited this away, my dear?"

"Oh God, no." Emma said to him. "Would you mind if I slap her next time I see her? Maybe take out a couple of handfuls of hair?"

"That won't be necessary. This act smells of desperation. I'm very good at spotting desperate souls or, in Regina's case, desperate . . . cases. I'll handle this."

Emma looked at her husband a moment. She could tell, despite his outer calmness, that the man was furious. She had seen enough to know that he was at his most dangerous when he was like this, calm on the outside, enraged on the inside. He would handle it. She shivered.

Gold gave her a quick kiss and shooed her back into the living room. He waited until Emma had stepped back into the living room. He double-checked his guess and satisfied that he had, unfortunately, been correct, he sent the box to a quiet place outside of his estate. In Fairyland the place had been a meditative center for himself, where he kept a few odd keepsakes. This box he buried and arranged for a small marker.

He returned to the party, quiet. He waited for the remainder of the votes to be tallied and announced. He sat in a corner not interacting with the others.

+ + + + + _Winning_

It was only ten o'clock when the local station declared Emma the winner. There was a phone call a few minutes later.

"Yeah Regina," Emma answered. Emma had already imbibed several glasses of premium champagne and she was still quite pissed over the heart thing. Regina was apparently congratulating her on her win. "Yeah, well thank you. And we got your gift. Gold said he would be over sometime to personally thank you. . . no. . . I think he's going to surprise you." With some satisfaction, she noticed it got all quiet on the other end. And then there was a click. Regina had hung up.

Everyone was celebrating Emma's win. Emma was happy but still disturbed over "the gift." She felt it was a warning to her. Regina was willing to go to any lengths to spoil things and was certainly telling her she was planning revenge.

Mary Margaret got a quick interview with the new mayor for her newspaper. How things were going to change. How this new administration would be open and responsive. Mary Margaret was quite excited.

"I need to get this in and get the paper out in the morning. People will want to know about all of this." David agreed to take her home.

Sister Giselle agreed to take home Leroy. Gold had assiduously avoided her company all evening, as well as the other sisters. As for Paige, the Golds had previously agreed to put her up for the night and Emma settled her in one of the spare bedrooms. (Ysbael had gone out about nine and was resting comfortably in her own room already.) It was after eleven before everyone departed.

"That was fun, except for the baby's heart thing," Emma observed.

"Yes, Regina is spiteful and did this to ruin your night. I'm sorry. I feel that much of the fault is mine. Feelings between us go back a long time." He had already changed of his suit and was just wearing his boxers sitting on the bed.

"No way. You're not responsible for her actions. She could have just skipped the wedding present if she couldn't come up with something nice." Emma was still in her day clothes, jeans, blouse and boots.

Gold watched his wife rant. Anger made her eyes bright and flushed her cheeks. He wondered if the flush went all over her body. He thought he might like to find out.

He didn't say anything but waited patiently while she had her say, something about Regina being a bitch, blah, blah, blah. Nothing he disagreed with. Finally, during one of her pauses, he called her name, "Emma."

She stopped. She recognized the voice tone. She looked at her husband. She recognized the look in his eye. He gestured for her to be silent. She watched him, a little chary, knowing he would never hurt her but not knowing exactly what he had in mind. Well, she knew what he had in mind, but not _exactly_ what he had in mind.

"Let's celebrate, Madame Mayor. I enjoy bedding city officials. They are almost as much fun as royals and you, Mayor Princess, are both." He gestured. "Unbutton your blouse, please."

Emma could see where this was going. He wanted her to strip for him, but he wanted the control. He would tell her, each and every article of clothing that he wanted opened and removed. She smiled at him and began unbuttoning the blouse, working from the bottom up.

"Pull it out from your pants."

She complied.

"Take your boots off."

She did.

"And your socks."

She did that too.

"Now take off your pants."

Emma took her time with this directive, slowly unfastening them, slowly pulling them down her legs and slowly stepping out of them.

"Now take off the blouse."

She did, and was left standing only in her bra and panties.

"Turn around." He was pleased to see the blush did extend over her entire body. For a woman who had given birth a few months ago, she was marvelously toned and trim. The only change he could see that the baby had left was a few extra well-placed pounds and her breasts, which had been pert and perky before but were now more swollen, more luscious.

"Take off the bra." He was pleased that the nipples had already hardened, anticipating the attentions that would be coming their way.

"Put your hands behind your head." This would raise her breasts, showing them off to their best advantage.

"Excellent, now drop your hands and remove your panties."

She now stood before him, nude and glorious. He gestured for her to come over to him and straddle him, settling herself on his erect manhood. He liked this position. She could do much of the work, while he attended to her breasts, her neck, her mouth. He could reach her most sensitive areas and tweak and massage them until she began to shiver and had to hold onto him while she gave herself up to him. Yes, he enjoyed this position a lot. Emma apparently enjoyed it, too.

She collapsed onto him finally and he eased her off. She was already asleep. He gave her a quick kiss and considered his next action. He knew his alter-ego would likely keep her busy for several hours so he had plenty of time to do what he needed to. She wouldn't miss him, wouldn't know that he had been gone.

_NEXT: Gold visits Regina_

_Emma has a good time with Rumple_


	15. Chapter 15

+ + + + + _Visit_

It was after twelve midnight when he appeared in her bedroom. Regina was still up, still dressed in her usual work attire. She was only a little surprised to see him, had been halfway expecting him after her phone call to Emma.

"Well, what do you want?"

"You," he answered, now surprising her.

She looked at him, concerned, wary. More than a little alarmed. What was he up to?

+ + + + + _Alternate Place_

Emma had her eyes closed. She was floating and throbbing, mostly throbbing in an incredibly delicious way. She felt someone was gently stimulating her, licking her, there, right there. The most talented tongue in Storybrooke. No, in Fairyland. She knew without opening her eyes where she was.

+ + + + + _A Drink_

Gold had sat in one of the luxurious satin-covered chairs she had in her bedroom. He had re-attired himself in one of his black suits, complete with black shirt and a bright blue tie. He set his cane next to the chair, then, reached over and poured himself a glass of the fine scotch that she kept on a table next to the chair. He took a drink. He slowly looked her over. "Unbutton your blouse," he added "please."

She hesitated only a moment, but found her fingers, trembling, unbuttoning the blouse.

He waited until she had finished. Waited. Then, "Pull it out of your pants, please."

She complied, but began to curse at him. "You son of a bitch, you perverted scum. . ."

He held up a finger to his lips, "Quiet, please. I intend to enjoy myself and it's hard to do that when you're bitching at me."

He took another sip and continued, "Take off your shoes," She wasn't wearing socks or stockings of any type so he now had her barefoot.

+ + + + + _Attentions_

Emma felt herself going over the top again, like a high waterfall, pitching, rolling down and over and over and over. She was gasping for air, it was so intense. She knew, she knew she would have to open her eyes. He was grinning at her. "Now that went pretty well, I think." He sat up kneeling between her spread open legs.

"Just delightful," she had to agree.

"Still pissed at me?"

"Extremely. But I do appreciate your attentions," she admitted.

"Are you up for . . . reciprocating?" he grinned, asking her, his voice betraying some hope.

She knew she owed him, but, at the same time, she had never asked him for anything, for this. The sex was entirely his idea. She just happened to be the focus, the receptacle for his attentions, his very expert, very experienced, very proficient. . . attentions.

+ + + + + _Compliance_

"Now take off your pants, please," he directed.

She complied, but he could tell she was steaming, furious but unable to stop herself.

"And take off the blouse, please," he gave her another task to complete as he took another drink. He watched her close her eyes, resisting him, trying to resist him, but the old spell was much too strong. The blouse dropped to the floor. She was clad only in her panties and bra. She was in her preferred black, as usual. It did suit her, he had to admit.

He stopped for a moment to admire her. She really was a beautiful woman.

"Turn around, please," he directed and, yet again, took another sip of her fine scotch. She complied with his command, going as slowly as possible while still following his directions. A very beautiful woman, indeed.

Once she had turned completely around and was facing him again, he gave her the next directive. "Now the bra, remove it please." Her eyes met his and, he knew, if he allowed her speak, that she would be pleading with him. He did not allow her to speak.

She removed the bra.

+ + + + + + _Hesitation_

Emma hesitated. Really hesitated. The imp was still grinning at her. He had lain back on the enormous bed.

"What do you think, Princess? Could you, would you do for me what you have done so often for Gold?" In the darkened room, he seemed to be glowing. He lay with only a sheet across his privates, the green golden skin glittering, his eyes glinting. She could feel power reverberating off of him. Heck, if she tried, she could probably _see_ the power oozing out of his pores. This man, this creature possessed staggering powers. She was beginning to realize that he was capable of almost anything. That he could wink her out of existence if he wanted to. That he could render her powerless and force himself on her with virtually no effort on his part. The thought of his powers left her breathless.

And he wanted her willing. _He wanted her_.

It was like have some demi-god admire her and want to pleasure her. It was pleasing. . . and stimulating. . . and arousing.

+ + + + + _Command_

"And now the panties," he commanded. "if you please." eH

+ + + + + _A Treasure_

Emma gingerly touched the sheet. As if reading her mind, he smiled at her, putting a hand over hers. "It's green too, dear. Remember it's just the magic that you're seeing."

"Wow," she said involuntarily as she pulled back the sheet revealing him at last. She smiled back at him and said sweetly, "You know, I always felt that Gold was blessed with superb equipment" she trailed her fingers up his torso "and I have never had any complaints," she trailed them back down his torso, "but you seem to be endowed with . . . superior . . . parts." She stopped immediately above his . . . parts.

"Magic helps," he admitted. He stiffened as he felt her hand grasp him, just holding him. Then he could feel her breath right above him and had to restrain himself as he felt her mouth on him, holding and suckling, then releasing and blowing air to cool things down. Then he felt her mouth again.

He smelt of maleness, a musky scent with the overlay of. . . yes. . . cinnamon. Her favorite spice. He was absolutely delicious. She was determined to take her time with him. She felt his hands entwine in her hair. She knew what Gold preferred and figured that Rumple would enjoy the same, a combination of pressures, sucking and using her tongue along the shaft and, especially, around the head.. Taking him all in was difficult and she had to give herself time to relax, to relax her jaw, the muscles in her throat.

He closed his eyes, trusting her. She was soft then hard, slow then fast, delicate then intense, going from one thing to another, pulling her warm mouth off, then encompassing him again.

He realized that he couldn't last long against her attentions. This was exquisite. She was exquisite. A find, a treasure, a prize. He grabbed her hair and held her onto him while he surged upward, even more pleased that, for this most intimate act, she accepted his life force, his seed, without pulling back.

+ + + + + _What to do?_

Gold looked Regina over. He finally shook his head and finished off his drink. "You are absolutely stunning, my dear. Easily one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen."

She was still glaring at him, waiting for his next command.

Gold paused for a moment. "You know I just played out this same scene with my wife. She was most cooperative and seemed to be enjoying herself. I graciously rewarded her with a very pleasant orgasm. But somehow, dearie, I don't feel like rewarding you." He got up, walked over to her, and stood next to her. With his finger, he traced a line down her arm and lightly across her breasts, "I suspect it was your 'gift.' It was a little. . . off-putting." He dropped his hand and caressed a breast. He gently teased one nipple, then the other, into firm little nubs, finally pinching them hard enough to make her gasp. He released her, turned and sat back down. "Interesting, a year ago I think I would have at least had you," he hesitated, considering the right words, "well, at least, had you give me a little pleasure with your very talented mouth, then perhaps even bend you over this table," he gestured at the table by his chair, "for a quick stumpfing." He leaned back and stretched. "But now I have a wife who's more than eager to provide those attentions to me and, I think, she would object to similar efforts on anyone else's part. So what to do, what to do?"

He watched Regina closely. She was alternately closing her eyes and opening them to glare at him. He smiled at her.

+ + + + + _Making Magic_

Rumple had pulled his princess up along the length of his body and wrapped his arms around her. He was kissing her neck, her cheeks and her mouth. He was whispering praises and words of admiration to her, rolling her onto her back, running his hands up and down her body. She was stunned to find that he was ready for her again, so quickly, so quickly.

He whispered to her, "It's magic."

She managed to whisper back "Doesn't all magic have a price?"

"This, what we are doing, creates magic," he told her and he slowly began to enter and fill her. She wrapped her legs around him and held him to her, clinging to him, nearly crying with the pleasure he was able to give her.

+ + + + + _Choices_

He shifted in the chair, noting that his movements did seem to make her quite nervous.

"What you did was unforgiveable, reprehensible and just plain disgusting, dearie," he began. "I have grown weary of your piddling games, the trivial gestures, the interfering whims you seem to have. I've warned you. I've taken the bulk of your powers. When you bargained to regain a power, I thought it was interesting that you wanted to keep your looks. As I thought that through, I realized that your beauty is a source of powerful magic in your hands." He smiled at her again. "So I have decided on how best to punish you for this last indiscretion." He waved his hand, "You may speak but consider your words carefully. I can shut you up again with a word."

"Rumple, dear," she approached him, kneeling by his side, touching him, running her hands along his legs. "You know how I feel. Knowing you're with that insipid, mealy-mouthed offspring of Snow and Charming, knowing that she's in your bed, that you are pleasuring her. . . it makes me crazy. It makes me do crazy things." She leaned in and kissed him on the lips. "You're turned on, I can tell. You enjoy the power you have over me, that with a word you can have me strip for you. And you can have me, you know that. Any way you want. Any time you want." Her voice was soft and sultry, her eyes almost black with pupils dilated with passion.

He stilled her hands, placing his on top of hers. He joined her hands, holding them in place with one of his hands. He used the other hand to tip her face up to his.

He began, "Any time you do anything hurtful to another, any time you make someone else's life miserable, or painful or even uncomfortable, any time you curse someone. . . it will take away from your power of beauty. It will cost you a crow's foot, an age spot, a wrinkle. It becomes your choice. . . to remain a beauty or. . . not."

Regina drew back from him, but he stopped her and roughly pulled her to him to deliver his kiss, a kiss that conveyed the spell. She tried to stop him but he was too strong and she felt his spell spill into her.

When he released her, she pulled back, "You bas. . ." she started but he put his finger to her lips.

"Think about it, your majesty. Is it worth the crow's foot this little rant will get you?" he smiled at her and stood up, pushing her back to the floor.

"Now this is nice, you groveling on the floor. I will treasure this particular memory, my dear." He left through the door. "Oh," he called back, "Please do not re-dress yourself until morning and, please, do not pleasure yourself either."

"Bastard," she said to herself and then immediately felt her face to see if there was any immediate effect.

_A.N. We all know how the Queen ultimately transforms herself into the darkest face of femininity, a crone – a bringer of death (My own background teaches that the story of Snow White is actually the story of The Goddess. The remaining parts of the trinity of the feminine spirit consist of Snow representing The Virgin and Snow's mother, well, representing The Mother) (we otherwise healthy, functional females aspire to ultimately become The Wise Woman). (I could say more on this story, but this is not the platform.) I think that this, becoming a crone, could well be Regina's ultimate fate and decided that allowing Regina to have the control over her fate would be the best revenge (because we all know that she won't be able to stop herself; it is, after all, her nature)._

_thx for reading. Absolutely appreciate and enjoy the reviews. txm _


	16. Chapter 16

_A.N. Just a short chapter while I work on a couple of other projects. Hope this doesn't disappoint. txm _

+ + + + + _ Emma's Morning After_

When Emma woke, in Gold's bed, the following morning, she stretched, feeling better than she had in a long time. Well, ok, maybe just a little sore. Gold had already risen and she could hear him in the next room, talking with Ysbael.

They made an unusual duo. They were both so serious but both would find some of the oddest things funny. She could hear them both, Ysbael giggling and Gold's voice, soft and smooth. W_as he playing 'I'm gonna get you' with Ysbael? _

Gold brought the baby in to her, the child resting quite comfortably, cradled in one arm as he walked gingerly, leaning on his cane. Ysbael broke into a smile seeing her mother, reaching for her.

"I heard the little princess up and went to get her," he told Emma. He watched his wife and child together, feeling a marked sense of paternal pride.

"You're looking exceptional, Emma. Almost glowing," he told her with his slight smile. _She would have once considered that particular smile a smirk_.

She looked over at him. "You know da. . . darn well what happened. Are you going to insist on me confessing details?"

"Not really, unless you want to. You seemed to have enjoyed yourself," he murmured.

"Probably one of the five top experiences I've ever had."

He looked at her curiously. "You rate your . . . experiences?"

"Actual wedding night, wedding dress night, first time ever, last night, time when I jumped you right after our 'engagement'." She made air bunnies when she said 'engagement'.

"They're all with me?" he observed with some surprise.

"Well, I once told you that I didn't get out much. You're the best time I've ever had."

He sat quietly for a moment. "How many partners have you had, Emma?"

Emma sat very quietly, before slowly holding up one finger.

"You lived your life around morons. I can't believe no one ever tried. . . "

She interrupted. "I didn't say no one had ever tried. I just never felt like doing it with any of them. It never felt right, until you."

Gold looked down, "I'm actually flattered . . . and kind of humbled."

"Well how many partners have you had?"

He winced. "Emma, you know I've lived a very, very. . . very long time. I was married when I was very young. Sex was something we did to have a child and, sometimes, if we weren't too tired, as a diversion. We were both virgins when we married and I don't think I did very well by her, but maybe she didn't know any better. The next woman I had was the little fairy. That was a violent, exploitive relationship. I did learn about helping a woman find her pleasure with the fairy, but it was never done out of affection; it was a way of keeping control."

He paused before continuing, "I remember being bored and feeling snippy when some king asked me to save his kingdom from some peril. As an amusement, I asked for his daughter as payment. I had thought that surely the king and his court would rise up as one and order me out of their presence. Who would give their innocent child to a monster? But they gave her to me without any hesitation, less hesitation than if I had asked for the king's favorite dog or his horse. I soon found that there were many fathers who were willing to give me their daughters, their virgin daughters. There were husbands eager to give me their wives, all to get favors from me.

"These girls would come with me, perhaps not exactly willingly, but they were compliant. They would lie on their backs, close their eyes, turn their heads, and usually have a tear or two leak out of their eyes while I satisfied my urges and, sometimes, introduced them to higher pleasures, depending on my whim. After a few weeks, I would send them into town for something or another and, of course, they would not return to me.

"Also after I built my house, I would usually keep a girl around for housekeeping and often . . . other stuff. Many of my housekeeping girls wanted to learn my magic, perhaps even steal my magic. They were more willing to share my bed."

"So a lot?"

"Yes, too many to count, but often my relationships were little better than rape. The women might have yielded to me, but they didn't climb into my bed willingly or because they wanted me. It was never like it has been with you."

Emma rolled her eyes. "I'm not buying that."

"Seriously, Emma. I feel like you want me. I feel very comfortable with you."

"Yeah, comfortable. That is what you feel. You like me and you're comfortable with me."

He smiled at her again. "'As you are with me. Like and comfort. We can go far on those two feelings."

+ + + + + _Regina's Morning After_

Regina sat at her mirror. She was studying herself intently. Nothing yet. No lines, no wrinkles, no age spots. How quickly would it happen? Would she be able to see something each and every time she, oh, what was that devil's curse? Any time she did anything hurtful to another, any time she made someone else's life miserable, or painful or even uncomfortable, any time she cursed someone. . . it would take away from her power of beauty. This certainly limited her activities. Bastard.

He'd left her nude and, as he was probably well aware, very aroused. He'd forbidden her to dress herself or gratify herself. It had been a very uncomfortable night.

With the sun up, she quickly clothed herself and laid herself back on her bed. She very tenderly attempted to assuage the aching feelings he had stirred in her, using her fingers between her legs, rubbing herself. Nothing happened. She still had the feelings, but nothing was happening, nothing was relieving her. She rolled over and pulled out a vibrator she kept for herself. Using this, the tension actually seemed to increase, but there was no satisfaction forthcoming.

She thought back carefully over the last thing he said just before he left, "Please, do not pleasure yourself either."

"Oh shit!" she thought. "This can't be happening!"

+ + + + + _Back at Work_

Emma bounced back into her office. She had dropped Ysbael off with Ashley and Henry off to spend the day with Paige's family. For herself, between her real lover and her dream lover (who seemed quite as real to her as Gold), she was feeling great.

"Good morning, Madame Mayor," she heard David call to her from the back of the office. He had been filing some of the ever present paperwork when he had heard her come in.

"Oh right, I'm mayor now, or I will be in a couple of weeks. Gee. I'm going need a sheriff. You up for the job?"

"Yes ma'am," David was flattered she'd offered him the post. "I'm gonna need a deputy."

"Probably. You'll want to take some time off now and then and you'll need backup. Who are you thinking about?"

"Ruby would be great, but I gather she doesn't want the job."

"No, she tried but couldn't handle it. Any other ideas?"

"No, I'll have to think on it. We don't have to decide today." He glanced away having seen a shadow approaching them. "Uh oh." David had now seen their visitor round the corner.

It was Regina.

"Emma, dear," she said in her sweetest voice. Emma was immediately on guard and had to keep herself from reaching for her gun.

"I just wanted to congratulate you on your victory. A game well played. We'll have to get a transition team in place so that things keep running smoothly."

"Sounds just fine. I'll have my people call your people," Emma replied cautiously.

Regina stood quietly. "I'm not trying to hurt you Emma. You need to know something."

"Is this something spiteful about my husband?"

Regina sighed. "I'm sure he told you that he paid me another midnight visit."

_No he hadn't._ Emma kept her face impassive. She let Regina go on.

Regina sighed_._ "This is probably going to cost me. But you need to know. I don't want anyone else to end up like myself. Emma, he's manipulating you, just like he's manipulated every woman he's ever known."

"Oh Regina, if you're here to tell me that my husband is manipulative, conniving, cunning, downright sneaky, devious, underhanded, wily and deceitful, well, I think I already know this. Are you only just realizing this or did you think you were the only one who's noticed?"

"I didn't know if he'd been able to convince you that he's on the up-and-up? He's very good at charming people when he wants something from them," Regina explained herself further.

"He is that," Emma agreed. "I think we have a good understanding of each other. We don't entirely trust each other but we have each other's back. He's given me two amazing children, financial security and, something I never had growing up, , , a family. We don't lie to each other. We don't keep secrets from each other."

Regina sat calmly looking at Emma. "So you know he_ really_ is a goblin? That's not just a name people call him when they are angry with him."

Emma nodded. "I do know. Through some strange dream reality, I've gotten to meet him."

Regina actually smiled. "You think he's glorious, don't you? You're attracted to him. So different, so powerful, so exotic."

"And pretty good in the sack too," Emma couldn't help but add.

"Agreement there," Regina gave her a nod. "So you know about his oldest son? The one the fairies convinced to leave him."

"Some," Emma was increasingly cautious. _Where was Regina going with this?_ "It's not easy for him to talk about."

"I imagine it's not. But all this, Storybrooke, everything, was done by him. It was his horrible spell. He molded me, my anger, my pain, tricking me into casting it. It was all done to get his son back. He spent generations sucking power from everyone and everything he could. He doesn't want you. He wants his first born son. Everything he's done, every step he's taken has been to get his son back. He has bided his time, waiting until finally you come along. You are the one who will find his son for him. In the meantime, he's not above amusing himself with you."

Emma was sure she could see a tear pooling in Regina's eye as she turned and left, not waiting for a reply.

Emma thought through what Regina had told her. She knew about the fairies and Gold's oldest son, but the idea that he had manipulated an entire country, bespelling them for twenty-eight years, taking away their memories, relegating them to a land without happiness, used Regina to cast the soul-sucking spell, well, all that was hard to grasp. What kind of mind would do that? What kind of mind could do that? And to what end. How would this get back his son? How did she play into this? What was the man's game?

_NEXT_

_Regina tries to bargain with Gold_

_Gold and the Fairies, er, Nuns _

_Please, please, please, if you have any ideas for who would make a good deputy, pass it on. I have a couple of candidates, but no one is singing to me. Thanking you in advance for reviews and kind comments. txm _


	17. Chapter 17

I want to thank Emperor's Sister, oogie0811, Notsureyet18, thedoctorsgirl42, Ying-Fa-dono, Detafo and hannahcaiusvoltur for their suggestions for a new deputy. (the prize for most original suggestion would have to go to Notsureyet18 for suggesting Granny – who I agree could do the job). Thx all txm

This is a rather long chapter. I had considered dividing it up . . . but, well, I didn't.

+ + + + + _Gold's Visitors – The First One_

Regina walked directly to Gold's shop. She stopped to check herself in the ladies room of the pharmacy. It was the next mirror she encountered between the Sheriff's office and the shop. Sure enough, there was a slight wrinkle around her eyes, a crow's foot. It had cost her, for sure. But she thought this was well worth it. Anything she could do to cause a breech between the happy couple. The sooner the better. Sooner or later Emma would see how she was being used by Gold and things would fall apart. She smiled at herself.

Gold was in the back room. He had planned to spend a quiet morning, polishing some old metal items. He heard the bell from the front door ring.

Regina called out to get his attention.

"Yes, dearie?" he came out to the front room, wiping his hands. "I wasn't expecting to see you again, so soon."

"I'm sure you weren't. And only something very important would have pushed me into your shop this morning."

He watched her, but said nothing.

She was hesitant and actually had some difficulties meeting his eyes. She began by whispering, "Last night."

"Was there something unclear?"

"Oh no, everything was quite clear. But you left me with an added. . . encumbrance. "

He was puzzled, not sure exactly what she was talking about.

Regina felt as if she might be blushing. "You told me that I was not to," she had a difficult time repeating his words "gratify myself."

He stood for a moment before her words, his words, registered. "Oh dear. I see why you would have forced yourself to come to see me."

"Well, what do you intend to do about it? You can't leave me like this."

He looked at his nails, casually. "Well actually I can. It's of no consequence to me how uncomfortable you might be."

She closed her eyes and sighed. "OK, you bastard. What do you want?"

He considered. "There's not a lot at this point that you can offer me, is there?"

She reached forward and put her hand on his arm. "Please don't leave me like this, Rumple," she pleaded. "Isn't there something, anything I can offer you?"

He shook his head, but did not move out of her grasp. "You forget that I can get anything I want from you, anytime, dearie. I can make you do anything I want. Grant me any request, conform to any whimsy, perform for me, if I should so desire."

Regina didn't release him. He knew, he had to know, how much this was costing her. "Rumple, please. How long do you want me to implore you, to plead, to beg?"

He looked at her a long time. Finally he said, "I've just taken your pride, haven't I, your majesty?"

She dropped her eyes and whispered, "Yes. I don't think I have anything else for you to take."

"I have your magic, your son, your temporal power, eventually, I believe, I will have your beauty. And now I have your arrogance, your conceit, your vanity. . . your pride."

He watched her a moment. "I'll think about it. Let's see how well you can behave yourself."

"Well then, you should know I've already talked with Emma about your midnight visit and warned her that you are using her."

He smiled and touched the corner of her eye. "So that's where that came from," he noted.

"I told her that you did all this to find your son."

He shrugged. "Well, that's the truth, isn't it? Emma, I think, already knows that I'm using her. She's certainly using me. She's handling it. She's. . . comfortable with our arrangement."

"Is she, Rumple? Will she be comfortable with how you've used her?"

He became very quiet. "She's had a good time along the way."

"Oh you know how noble she is. Will that be enough, do you think?" Regina smiled at Gold and left him alone in his shop.

+ + + + + _The Second One_

The next visitor was Emma, herself.

"Gold!" she called out to him.

"Back sho-op," he called back out, just a trifle put out. How many interruptions would he have to deal with this day? Knowing it was his lovely wife, didn't help his mood. "Yes dear?" he tried to keep his irritation from showing in his voice.

"I need people," she told him.

"To do what, and with what, and to whom?" he asked without missing a beat.

"Uhm," said Emma, thinking through his questions. "To transition. . . with transitiony thingys and to. . . Regina."

He understood. _For the Mayor's job. _"Of course, I understand. If you will permit me, I think I'm as qualified as anyone in this small town."

Emma's face reflected gratitude. "That would be swell. I'll owe you, big time," she leaned forward and kissed him right on the mouth.

He stopped her from pulling back. "You'll pay me back, big time," he promised her. "If I have to keep dealing with Regina, you will pay for every second of time thrice over."

Emma grinned at him, "Look forward to it."

He released her and watched her leave back out. He returned to his tasks in the back room.

+ + + + + _The Third One_

It was within twenty minutes when he heard the front bell ring again. He sighed and went on out to the front.

His next visitor was little Paige. Gold pulled himself out of his thoughts and turned his attention towards the girl. He held back, knowing that he often unwittingly frightened little girls . . . and big girls. . . and big men, but then, this wasn't just any little girl.

"Miss Paige, what can I do for you?"

She was hesitant. "Henry told me to talk with you. He thought you could help me."

Gold sat quietly without saying anything. He waited for Paige to continue.

"I'm having the oddest dreams," she paused and collected her thoughts. "I'm not living with my parents but with another grownup man, a man who, in my dreams, is my father. He is very nice to me and cares about me and loves me more than anything."

"Anything else?" Gold asked gently.

"There are rabbits, and tea sets and. . ." she stopped.

"Yes," Gold waited.

"A magic hat. My father is the only one who can make it work."

"So why did you come to see me, Paige? A lot of people have odd dreams."

"I woke up with this is my room," Paige handed him a small stuffed white rabbit.

Gold took the rabbit. "I take it your parents didn't put it there."

Paige shook her head. "Should I be scared? Are my dreams real?"

Gold was not sure how to broach to topic of alternate realities with a child. "There are some who believe that dreams reflect things that happened to us long ago, perhaps in a past life. You aren't scared of this man who is supposed to be your father, are you?"

"Oh no. He's very nice and acts like I'm the most important person in the world to him."

"Then I don't think you have anything to be afraid of. I'm not sure about where this rabbit came from but I don't think you have any reason to be frightened."

Paige nodded, took the stuffed rabbit back, thanked Gold and left.

Gold considered. Jefferson. He doubted the man intentionally put the rabbit in Paige's room. He would have known it could upset the child. Likely the man's magical energy just spilled out and he inadvertently _sent_ the stuffed toy up to Paige's room.

He and Jefferson had an unusual relationship. He knew the man wasn't afraid of him. He knew Jefferson had memory for the time before The Curse. He also thought that Jefferson was undisciplined and wild in his approach to magic. Things often just happened around the man, with no thought of plan or organization. Jefferson spent most of his time trying to avoid his talents, something Gold neither understood nor approved of.

+ + + + + _The Fourth One_

Gold barely had time to return to the back room after Paige's exit, when he heard the bell ring again.

_Damnation. _Today was going to be a lost cause for him to get anything done in the back room. When did he get to be so popular? This was Emma's fault. And Mary Margaret's.

This time it was the little nun, the Lilac Nun, he had termed her in his mind. _What the hell did she want now? It had been awhile since he had seen her. There had been a bee sting. What now? Come in with an ant bite?_

She gave him a timorous smile and did that curtsey thing the nuns all seemed to be doing to him. He couldn't bring himself to speak to her and left her waiting in front of him for her to be the first to speak up.

"I wanted to thank you for helping me with the bee sting," she began with her sweetened honey of a voice. _Any other man would be putty in her hands. _

He nodded.

When he didn't say anything, she took a deep breath and continued. "And bring you a present for the baby. I know we're a bit late with the gift. So sorry about that but we wanted to create something special for the little princess." She held out a brightly wrapped box with an elaborate bow on it.

Gold's attention was caught by the phrase 'the little princess." _Which of the nun's had come up with that? Did any of them actually know? _He nodded again to the nun and gestured for her to put the gift down on the counter. Even with the compulsions mostly under control, he couldn't trust himself if she should touch him. He'd ended up drinking the last time couple of times she'd been in his shop.

"It's just a little something the nuns all helped make."

_Oh crap, she was going to go on until he spoke. _"I'm sure it's lovely. Ms. Gold and I send our thanks."

"It's nothing. It's the least we can do after all you've done for us."

She turned to go, but was still hesitant.

_Go! Go! Go! What the hell was she waiting for? _

She had almost made it to the door when she turned, still hesitant. "I'm sorry, but I keep having this feeling, this feeling that I've done something to offend you."

"Whatever do you mean?" he asked as neutrally as he could.

She returned to the counter, a bit breathless. "Every time I've been in your shop. . ."

He interrupted and was somewhat snarky with his comment, "Both times?"

She smiled in agreement, "Yes, both times. Well, I've had these terrible dreams afterwards. You're in them and you are very angry with me. I don't quite understand why, but I'm. . . well. . . I'm. . . "It was obviously difficult for her to go on. She took a deep breath. "You're hurting me in these dreams. Hurting me, horribly. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry if I did something to make you angry." He looked at her out of the corner of her eye. "I can't imagine what triggered these dreams. I don't really believe in past lives, but these dreams feel so real, like I've actually lived through them."

"I tend not to discount anything, Sister."

She smiled, wiping away her tears, "Probably silly stuff, I know. But please, please forgive me for anything I've done. Would that be possible?"

He looked at her for a long time. She did seem genuinely upset and genuinely remorseful, even though she had no recall of what she had done. He considered. He had Emma now, and the children, maybe Bae would come soon, soon enough. "Of course, Sister, I forgive you."

She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. She promptly blushed. "I know that was terribly improper of me. But thank you, thank you so much."

_She didn't feel it. She didn't feel anything. But he did. The compulsion to hurt her was gone. Was it as Emma had told him? If he were genuinely reluctant to go through with his revenge, then he wouldn't have to. If he were really, truly sorry, he wouldn't be feeling the compulsion anymore. It would be gone. _

Well, damn.

+ + + + + _The Fifth One_

Gold had pulled out his best scotch and poured himself a drink. He sat back, behind his counter, waiting. He'd given up working in the back of his shop today. He knew, just knew, there would be more visitors before the day was through. He didn't have long to wait.

The next visitor was Jefferson.

Jefferson looked around, a bit anxiously. It took him awhile to locate Gold who was sitting in the back of his shop. "Gold?"

"Jefferson," he responded.

"My daughter? Why is she coming to see you?"

Gold sat silently for a while considering his best response. He decided on the truth. _Emma would be so proud of him. _"She is having dreams about her father."

Jefferson was taken aback. "How is that possible?"

Gold looked at his nails, pausing before he responded. "Now Jefferson, _you _are able toremember. Don't you think it's likely that your daughter is witch enough that she is adept and is beginning to remember things also?"

Jefferson wrung his hands. "I don't want her to. It's not good for her to be torn between two worlds. What can I do?" He suddenly looked directly at Gold. "Can you help? Some type of potion? Some charm?"

Gold smiled and shook his head, taking another sip from his glass, "I think you should trust your daughter, Jefferson. She is very strong and very smart."

"Why do you say this? How do you know?"

Gold leaned back from his counter. "You know some of my talents?"

Jefferson nodded, not sure where Gold was going with this.

"Your daughter is special, very special, Jefferson. I've seen what will be her most likely future," at Jefferson's stricken expression, Gold elaborated, "It's a good one, mind you."

"Good? What do you call good?" Jefferson was suspicious of him.

"She will discover her heritage at some point," Gold told him gently, finishing off his glass. "You can't shield her from that."

Jefferson hung his head and rubbed his face in his hands.

"What will I do? What can I do?"

"Not much, dear Jefferson. I can assure you that your daughter will handle it. She recognizes that she is her own person, not a reflection of her parents. She will continue to grow and develop her own talents."

"How do you know this about my child?"

"Because her future is entwined with that of my second son."

"With Henry? But they are both just children," Jefferson protested.

"They won't always be," Gold reminded him. "You look like you could use a drink," he pulled out a second glass, poured and handed it Jefferson without waiting for a confirmation. Jefferson took it and sipped.

"This is very good."

Gold smiled, "Well, I can afford the best." Gold poured himself another drink. "I've seen them, Jefferson. Very much in love. Very happy. Very talented. Your daughter will grow up to be a very beautiful, very powerful woman, and, unless something dreadful happens to her, she will remain very kind and generous."

"What kind of dreadful something could happen to throw her off track?" Jefferson took another sip. Gold topped off the glass.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe seeing her father go completely bat-shit crazy. You need to get a grip."

"I'm trying, Gold, I'm really trying. But all I can think about is keeping her safe. . . and trying to remake the hat."

"The hat will remake itself when it's ready. There just isn't enough magic in this place for it to draw on. You don't have enough to feed it to make it work. Let it go for now. Find yourself a new hobby."

+ + + + + _The Sixth One_

It was at that moment a lovely, young blond woman walked into Gold's shop. She smiled at both men and approached Gold, holding out an envelope.

"After this, there will be only two more payments, Mr. Gold," she said proudly.

He took the envelope. Noting Jefferson's obvious interest in the young woman, he made introductions. "Oh, Ms. Dodgson, this is my good friend, Jefferson. Jefferson, may I introduce Alice Dodgson."

Jefferson gaped at the young woman. He turned briefly to Gold who, almost imperceptibly, nodded.

"Ms. Dodgson teaches math at the high school," Gold continued. "My friend, here, is independently wealthy and unmarried at the moment, Ms. Dodgson. I think you two may have some things in common."

"Really? Is it Mr. Jefferson?" the young woman asked.

"Just Jefferson," he managed to get out a reply, continuing to gape at Ms. Dodgson.

Well, Just Jefferson, you must have something going for you if you have Mr. Gold as your wingman."

"And you're doing well if you're only two payments from paying off one of Gold's loans."

"Well, it was actually a generous deal that he offered me. I can't tell him how much I appreciate what he did for me and my family. That article in Mary Margaret's paper was right on target and it was long overdue for Mr. Gold to get proper recognition."

Gold winced. He had not recovered from Mary Margaret's article and it still embarrassed him when people referred to it. _ He still owed Mary Margaret for the damage_. He sucked it up and managed a smile for the couple. "Why don't you two run along? I have some work to finish up."

+ + + + + _The Seventh One_

The last visitor was another nun. _Oh hell_. Gold poured himself _what was it now?_ a third drink.

"Yes, Sister Giselle? What can I do for you?"

She stood at the front of his shop, looking around, not coming in any closer to him.

"I didn't realize that you knew me," she finally said.

"Yes, I believe you came to my home to watch the election results."

"Of course," she nodded to him.

He waited.

"I know," she finally said.

He finished his drink. He knew what she meant. "Any others of your sisters know, do you think?"

"I don't know. It's not something that is easy to talk about."

"So why are you here?"

Giselle hung back. Gold sensed that she was likely frightened of him, not an unpleasant feeling he granted himself.

She began slowly, "In many ways, you are perhaps more powerful here than you were. . . before. I ask on behalf of my sisters. Do you plan to take vengeance on us?"

Gold folded his hands. "I could do it easily, you know. Put you out onto the streets. It would require a single stroke of the pen."

"Is that what you plan to do?"

He was cautious with his reply. "I may have grown, Giselle. I am not so hell-bent on vengeance as I once was.

He continued, "She is beginning to remember what I did to her in her dreams. She was by earlier to tell me this. She is thinking that she may have done something to offend me and asked for my forgiveness."

Giselle almost laughed. "She asked for _your_ forgiveness?"

"She remembered that I was hurting her and thought she must have done something to deserve it," he explained.

Giselle sighed. "Well, maybe we've grown too, Gold or do I call you Rumplestiltskin?"

"Gold is acceptable here," he replied.

She gave him a nod. "Gold, then. We've grown also." She closed her eyes and began again. "We did try to banish you," she admitted.

She continued to speak quietly, "We were afraid of your power as the Dark One. Very afraid. You seemed so much more powerful than the others who had gone before you. I suspect the latent magical talent you had as a human coupled with the lack of restrictions you had as an unfettered spirit made you so extraordinarily powerful. You could see the future clearer than anyone we had ever encountered. We wanted you away from Fairyland."

"And you thought for sure that I would follow my son into another world?"

"We did. We did not mean to separate you two." She shook her head, sorrowfully. "We would not do that to a parent and child, Gold. We respect that relationship and know how powerful it is."

"And when I did not follow my son?"

"We knew we had made a terrible mistake. We knew you would come after us. We knew you would try to find your son."

"All correct," agreed Gold, listening to the Green Fairy as she recounted their history from her perspective.

"We knew you had our little sister in your power and we suspected that you were abusing her. "

Gold pressed his lips into a tight smile. "Which I was," he admitted.

"We had to make a new plan. We wanted to get back our sister and we wanted to give you a focus, something to preoccupy you and get in the way of your developing The Curse."

"So that's when you came up with the idea of confronting me, binding me long enough to get the Lilac Fairy away and cursing me with the compulsion to make deals."

She nodded agreement, then shook her head. "You were so much more powerful than we realized. You could drain energy from others. You were able to break the binding and kill my Crimson sister. I know you hunted down and killed the Yellow Fairy in time. I was kept on my guard constantly, always expecting you to pop up and take me on."

"I came close a few times, but you were very clever, my dear. I never quite caught up to you."

"Thank you. I take that as a compliment."

"A compliment it is, Giselle. You are a crafty woman."

"I think," she began slowly. "That we made a serious error with you early on, trying to get rid of you when things did not go as we planned. We compounded our error by trying to bind and curse you. It only created more anger, more rancor, more hatred." She approached him slowly. "We should have come to you and tried to work with you first thing. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Gold was surprised. She was actually admitting fault and saying she was sorry about how things had worked out.

He was more surprised when she reached for the whiskey bottle. "Do you have another glass?"

He reached under the counter and pulled out a third glass. She poured herself a drink and refilled his glass.

"We should have had you as an ally. You would have made a magnificent ally. People like Regina and Maleficent wouldn't have stood a chance against an alliance of you and the fairies." She gulped down her drink and poured herself a second glass. "Any chance you'll ever forgive us?"

"I think I may have actually already done that. When the Lilac Fairy was in here earlier, she asked for my forgiveness. I gave it to her and . . . I felt better," he admitted.

"I would imagine so. It would have removed the compulsion you had put yourself under to kill us."

"Any chance that you'll forgive me?" he asked.

"I'm already there Gold. But I'm not the one who has to give it."

"The Lilac Fairy?"

Giselle had finished off her second drink and poured herself a third. "Yeah, that was part of the original spell. She has to be the one to forgive you to break the deal compulsion curse."

Gold rubbed his head and took another sip from his glass. "Damn."

Giselle gave him a faint smile. "Yeah. She'll have to remember what you did to her before you can forgive you for what you did to her."

Gold shook his head. "I wasn't kind to her at all. It's really better for her if she doesn't remember. I don't want to cause her more pain."

"More than anything else you've said today, that convinces me you've changed," Giselle clicked her glass against his. "Tough luck for you, huh?"

"Tough luck," he agreed. He took another sip. "You know, I'm actually enjoying talking. . . and drinking with you Giselle. You should come over more often."

She smiled at him. "Perhaps I will. But do you think people will talk?"

"They'll think you're trying to save my soul," he responded.

She laughed. "Is it too late for that?"

"My wife will assure you that it's not."

"Here's to Emma then," she raised her glass in a toast.

Gold raised his glass, "To Emma." And they both finished off their drinks.

_NEXT: Candidates for deputy_


	18. Choices

+ + + + + _The Choices_

David was clearly exhausted.

"What's got you so down?" Emma asked him. She had come back in from a cat run. Mr. Puss-Puss had gotten out, yet again. He'd created quite a ruckus going after somebody's little Chihuahua. Emma had tracked down his fuzzy little rear, snagged it and dropped him back off with Leroy.

"I've been spending all my time doing background checks on Deputy candidates."

"We've got that many? When I was sheriff I had a hard time convincing anybody to consider applying for the job," Emma was surprised.

"Yeah, but you're going to be Mayor now and a lot of people are interested. Apparently they think that working for you would be a good thing."

"I'm flattered, right?"

David smiled at her. "You are. Emma, you're highly regarded in this town. For the job you've done as sheriff and the job you've done with Gold."

Emma sighed, a bit exasperated. "I didn't do anything with Gold. He's the same person he always was."

"Not according to, well, anybody. They all think that you were able to see something that was buried deep down within him and Gold is really a worthwhile person and has a heart of gold."

Those words stirred an old memory. Gold had used them when he had proposed a phony engagement, so long ago when they had awakened drugged in the room at the inn. She'd had to convince people she saw something in him to make the engagement work. Apparently her efforts had not only made Gold look better, but herself also.

She sighed, again. "He really is a good person but there is a dark side to the man. I don't think people are seeing that side as often as they used to." She got up to go over to David's desk. "Hey, let's see what you've got on our candidates."

"Well some of these are pretty far out. This is Jim, the P.E. teacher at the high school. He's certainly got the physical fitness award for the group. Let's see, this is Sean, Ashley's husband. Don't know much about him, but I like him. I could see him backing me up in a difficult situation. This one, you know. August Booth."

"August? I thought he was helping Archie's friend with the repair business and doing his freelance writing."

"He is, but he wants something that might give him a little more steady income."

"Interesting. Who else is in the pot?"

"Two very interesting candidates," David handed her one of the applications.

"Leroy! Well he has a background working security. He certainly knows his way around the facility here. And about half the jobs we have are chasing his damn cat down." She handed him back the application.

David smiled. "I'm actually giving his application serious consideration."

"You said there were two. Who's the other one?"

David handed her the second application.

"Jefferson!" Emma sat down. "Wow, that one is coming in from left field. Is he stable enough, do you think?"

"It's not the stability part that concerns me. It's whether or not, if he were ever confronted with a real criminal and didn't have a choice, if he could take them down."

Emma shook her head. "I'd have the most problem with him coming on board, I'll be honest with you. But, David, I'll support you with whoever you think is right for the job."

"Great, I was kinda hoping you would say, 'Oh, hire this one,' and make the decision for me."

"No way, David. You have quite a pool of candidates there and it's all your baby."

+ + + + + _Lunch at the Shop_

Emma had dropped by the pawn shop at lunch time. She had picked up soup and sandwiches at the Diner to share with her husband. He was in the back room of the shop. _What the heck was he doing back there?_

He looked up when she came in and gestured to a corner of his work table. She dropped the lunch on the table.

"Whatcha doing?" she asked him.

"Well getting some things polished and trying to get some things mended to put out in the shop. I'm alittle behind in what I had planned to get done. I had a day of drop-in visitors, none of whom bought anything and only one who dropped off a payment." He stood and began to heat up some water on a single burner he had in the back of the room. He got out two cups and two tea bags.

"You like working with your hands, don't you?" she observed.

"I do. I find it relaxing."

"Teach me to spin sometime?"

He shook his head, "I don't know if you'd have the knack for it. It takes concentration and lotsa practice to get the thread to come out smooth and even."

"And I don't have good concentration and wouldn't put in lotsa practice?"

"You have the attention span of a Labrador Retriever, my dear. Good for some things but not for many things."

Emma was offended. "Hey, I can stay focused when I have to."

"Exactly, my point," he replied.

Emma considered, "Oh."

"I'm not criticizing, my dear. It's who you are. I adore who you are."

The kettle began to whistle and he poured the boiling water over the bags. He brought them over to the table corner.

Emma enjoyed watching the man work. He had smooth, fluid movements, even with the limp. His fingers were long, supple and strong, and she knew from intense personal experience how capably he could wield them. She suddenly realized that he was watching her.

She nearly blushed. "Just admiring you," she confessed.

He smiled at her, sat down across from her and with one hand, _and those long, supple, strong fingers_ brushed some of her hair out of her eyes. "Not a problem, my dear, I often do the same with you." He began eating the lunch she had brought over to him.

"And how has your day been?" he asked.

"Chased down Leroy's cat. . . again. And looked over some of the candidates for deputy."

"And how is that going?"

"Well, David has his hands full. There are quite a few applicants."

"Anyone interesting?"

"Oh yeah. Jim, the P. E. teacher from the high school and Sean Hermann, Ashley's husband."

Gold pulled a dismissive face. "Stalwart and true, predictable, trustworthy and loyal. None of them your type, my dear."

"Oh yeah," agreed Emma. "I do go for the unpredictable, devious type."

He toasted her with his tea.

Emma continued, "Let's see, oh yes, August."

Gold waved his hand, "No, he's mostly stalwart and true, predictable, trustworthy and loyal but doesn't shave as often. It makes him look unpredictable and devious, but he's really not."

"Well, there's also Leroy."

"Hum. He's got some experience with security. He knows the jail really well and, if I'm recalling right, don't you spend a lot of your time chasing down that cat of his, like you've done already once today? That might actually be a good fit."

"David's thinking it over."

"Anyone else?"

It was Emma's turn to make a face. "Jefferson."

"Hmm."

"Is that all you have to say?"

"Well, I know how you feel about the man,"

"He's nuts," Emma said succinctly.

"He's not well wrapped, that's for sure. But he's got no love for Regina, I can promise you. And I can promise you that she will still be force in this town even when she's no longer mayor."

"You approve of him?"

"I don't disapprove of him," he replied.

Emma shook her head. "I don't know. I left the whole problem with David. He'll be the one working with whoever he chooses and he's going to want to feel that the person will back him up in a trouble situation. I've told him I'll support whatever choice he makes." Emma looked up. Gold was smiling at her.

"You're already delegating responsibility. That's remarkable. You are so right for the Mayor's job," he told her kindly.

This time Emma actually did blush, "Thank you."

"That's not how you say thank you," he told her.

Emma smiled back at him, "What would you like?"

"Come and sit on my lap," he directed her.

Emma complied. She started to put her arms around him, but he stopped her.

"Just sit," he told her.

Emma did as he had asked, confused. "Do you want me to kiss you?"

"No, dear," he replied. He almost smirked when he heard a small whimper.

Emma sat quietly a moment, then asked, "Are you going to kiss me?"

"No, dear," Gold continued to sit quietly and absolutely still.

Emma began to squirm. Being this close to him, the extent of the physical contact, but not engaging in any other touching, was affecting her, stimulating her.

"Quit wiggling," he ordered her. No question, Emma was whimpering. She was kneading her thighs, running her palms up and down them.

"Be still," he told her. With some obvious effort, Emma stopped moving her hands, resting them on the sides of her thighs. She began to lean in towards him, breathing deeply, breathing his scent, that definite cinnamon fragrance that always sent her over the edge. He could hear that she was beginning to breathe deeply and more raggedly. Despite his admonition to sit still, she would sometimes bring a hand up to pull her hair away from her neck and then down her neck, as if she was too hot and trying to cool off. He could feel that she was struggling to keep her legs still, often tensing up and then making herself relax.

How long he kept her sitting still, Emma wasn't sure. She had not realized that simply sitting on his lap, not moving or otherwise touching each other would be such a turn on for her. She could feel her body preparing for him, with growing moisture between her legs. She was aware of an increasing ache and mounting need. This was very uncomfortable. _Was he not feeling anything? _

She had to do something. "I'm going to start chewing the buttons off your shirt," she announced.

He smiled at her. "Thought you might be feeling something like that," he whispered back to her. "Of course, we really don't have time to finish anything."

"Oh no," Emma protested. "You can't have brought me this far along and then just leave me hanging."

He looked at her questioningly. "I'm just having you sit in my lap," he said innocently.

She was looking at him with a definite longing in her eyes. She wheedled him, "Can't you use just a little of your magic, please, please, please?"

He had his lips very close to her neck. She could feel his breath, warm and sweet. "I like when you ask so sweetly," he replied and briefly closed his eyes. Emma quickly began to feel a wave beginning, building up inside of her.

"Keep still," he ordered.

It was almost as if he had restrained her. Trying to hold herself still while she began to crest and explode in quick crescendos of release increased the intensity of her reaction. She couldn't stop herself from spasming and jerking, crying out and collapsing against him. He gently kissed her on the cheek and forehead.

"Good girl," he told her, holding her, finally allowing her to cling to him. She wrapped her arms around him and plied gentle kisses along his jaw line and neck.

"That was pretty amazing and totally unexpected," she admitted struggling to catch her breath, slowly recovering. "But you didn't get anything out of it."

"I assure you having a beautiful woman reach organism just by sitting in my lap is sufficiently rewarding," he helped her stand. "We'll take care of my needs tonight."

Emma nodded. "I'd be willing to take care of you now, but. . ."

"Work calls, duty beckons and sundry responsibilities demand our attentions," he gave her a quick, rough kiss and ushered her out to the front of the shop and then to the door. "I've got an appointment with Regina this afternoon to see what needs to be done to help with transition. You'll need to have a drink waiting for me when I get home."

"Any chance you'll be killing her?" Emma asked on the way out.

"Pretty good possibility," he admitted. "Would you still feel compelled to arrest me if I restrained myself and just slapped her around some?"

"Uhm. Moral dilemma here. Make sure it's just your word against hers and there's no real physical evidence," Emma leaned in and gave him one last quick kiss. She shouted back at him as she closed the door behind her, "And no witnesses!"

+ + + + + _The Mayor's Office_

"Emma will need to plan on redecorating the place. The furniture and pictures are all my things," Regina began.

"Well," Gold looked around. "I think that, even if they weren't, Emma would want them replaced. The style is too cold and severe for her. I expect to see a coat made of Dalmatian puppies thrown across one of the chairs in here."

"I'm sure at one time or another, I've worn that very coat," Regina said sweetly and smiled at him. She handed him an appointment calendar. "This is a copy of my schedule for the next couple of weeks. I thought that Emma might want to start attending some of these meetings so she'll be prepared to take over when the time comes. And," she picked up several prepared reports in neat bindings and handed them over to Gold, "this is the town's budget and money allocations along with the town's by-laws – something I think you are already quite familiar with." She gave him another smile.

He took the stack of paperwork she handed him and sat back. "You are being amazingly cooperative and . . . nice."

"Yes," she said. "I recently offended a very powerful magical entity and I have to be on my best behavior, at least for awhile."

"You know it doesn't work like a balancing act. You can't do two good deeds and erase the effects of one bad deed."

Regina pouted. "Well darn. I was hoping it would work that way. Your way doesn't allow for any missteps."

"Well, the damage you do is often pretty permanent, so I thought the punishment should also be. And you're in complete control, dearie. You decide if the act is worth the consequence."

Regina glowered at him. "That's what makes this so vicious. You are one of the most calculating, manipulative creatures I've ever met."

"Careful," he cautioned her. "Words can hurt as much as deeds."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "So I've heard." She returned her attention to the stacks of paperwork on her desk. "Have you given any thought about helping me out with the little problem you left me with?"

"Not a bit. I'm treating the situation like it's a favor you owe me and the time will come when I need something from you that you'll be willing to do, if I remove the geas."

Regina rubbed her temples. "You know I'm about ready to jump out of my skin, already."

Gold tapped a finger on his chin. "I just talked with someone with an obsession and, what was it I suggested?" He rose, tucking the paperwork under one arm and picking up his cane with the other. "Oh yes. Get a hobby."

"What would you suggest? Stealing people's first born children?"

"I was thinking knitting."

"Bite me, please," Regina spit at him.

"Blow me, please" he shot back. Regina was already out of her chair when Gold spoke steadily and quietly, "You see how easy it is for me?" Regina was already standing before him and her hands were going to his belt. He caught her by the chin and raised her face so that he looked her right in the eyes. "Stop it, please. Sit down, please. My wife would not approve."

Regina was breathing heavily as she turned and sat herself back down. Her eyes were blazing with fury when she looked back up at him. "You son of a bitch! We played out this same scene before and you knew, _you knew_! You made me drop to my knees and do you and all the time you knew! I was trying to make it look like my idea and you knew! You acted all surprised and coy and you knew!"

"Oh yeah, I'd forgotten about that. I did know. But you didn't know that I knew and I couldn't let on that I knew, so it was a lot of fun. . . you know." He smiled at her and left.

"Bastard, son of a bitch, fucking asshole." She couldn't help but relive the scene he'd forced her to play out in his pawnshop. It had been pretty hot, she had to admit it, along with being degrading and humiliating. And he had kept her expensive silk and lace pink panties. She wondered where he had put them. She was pretty sure that Emma didn't know anything about them.

_Author Note: OK the deputy votes are down to Jefferson and Leroy. Let me know if you prefer one or the other. _

_Also I have written a short called __The Magic Word__ featuring Regina and Gold in the little pawn shop scene I've alluded to in this chapter but haven't moved to publication (sheer smut – didn't know if anyone else would be interested – I've always thought that Regina and Gold make an explosive combination_, _although they would fight constantly and likely would kill each other before they were finished.) Let me know if you think you'd be up for a reading and I'll post. txm _

_NEXT: A Drink Awaits Gold _

_ Jefferson!_

_ Maybe some more with the fairy-nuns._


	19. A New Possibility

_This chapter is a tad shorter than previous ones (and revisits an older chapter) but will be followed very soon with another chapter. Thx for everyone's input on the deputy question - truly appreciated. txm_

+ + + + + _New Possibilities_

This restaurant was the nicest one in town, quite a few steps up from the Diner. Jefferson had taken Ms. Dodgson out for dinner and was sitting entranced across the table from her.

She was so beautiful, so elegant, so quiet and dignified. She looked directly at him, listened intently to him, laughed at his jokes, smiled at his most casual remarks.

So different from Grace's mother. Oh, she too had been quite the beauty, striking, exotic, glamorous with mesmerizing mannerisms. He had been enchanted, immediately. And yes, he soon enough began to hear all the dark stories about the woman, but wasn't willing to give credence to any of them. He and she had started a passionate, wild affair, culminating in her pregnancy. He hadn't learned the truth about her until after. What a lying, evil bitch. What an untrustworthy, downright mean woman. He had taken his newborn daughter and moved away from her. Far, far, far away.

He hadn't looked at another woman since then. Not the delicate beauty of Mary Margaret, aka Snow White. Not even the fresh-faced wholesomeness of Sheriff Swan, (who had certainly caught his attention) had been enough to maintain his attention. Besides, he had learned soon enough, that one belonged to Gold and he was not about to go up against Gold. He knew quite well the extent of Gold's powers and he didn't think, on his best day, that he would win a challenge there.

But here and now, he was sitting across from one of the most attractive, most beautiful women he had seen in a very long time. Fair, blonde, and blue-eyed with a sparkling smile.

Alice.

His Alice.

She didn't know. She was innocent, like his daughter Grace.

He would never have thought she would have grown up quite so lovely.

+ + + + + _A Drink at Home and an Unexpected Demand_

Gold was, as he anticipated, late getting home. There was a note on the door.

"Henry is with Paige for the night. Mary Margaret is sitting with Ysbael. Your drink is waiting for you by your chair." It was signed "e."

He smiled. His sweet bride had prepared _something_ for him. He made his way into the living room, removed his suit jacket, carefully folding it up and putting it on the back of a second chair and sat down. His drink was sitting by his desk. He took a sip. Ah yes, his best.

The room was darkened. He didn't see her, but he heard Emma. "Do you trust me?" she asked.

He hesitated for only the briefest moment. "More than anyone else," he responded truthfully.

"Then close your eyes."

He complied and felt a soft silk scarf tied around his eyes. _Well, this was going to be interesting._

"I'm going to restrain your hands," she told him and he felt each wrist tied gently down to the arms of the chair he was sitting on.

_Was there going to be a lap dance? Something oral?_

Unlikely, as he next felt the blindfold being removed.

Emma sat in a chair across from him. "We need to talk."

His naturally suspicious nature surged up. "Emma, what is there to talk about that you feel you have to restrain me."

She waved him off. "Not as scary as you might think. I know you too well. Every time I get close to certain topics, you . . . distract me. Or you leave. Or you just say, "not now," and walk away."

"What topics?"

"Just one tonight," she responded.

He waited.

"You and the nuns. I want to know what happened there. I've got to know. I'm concerned about safety. Are they dangerous to us?"

_Damn._

"Well, things are actually starting to resolve themselves," he began. "I don't know that we really have to re-hash the past." _Please, let's not go there._

Emma sat quietly, waiting.

He sighed. "You want the entire history, don't you?"

"Uh hum," she agreed.

"It's not pretty. Are you sure? It's me at my worst." _Have some mercy here, Emma, please_.

"Cut the crap. Quit procrastinating. Get to it," she ordered him.

"Well, understand, my dear, I was expecting sex this evening, so this whole thing is a bit of a downer," he allowed his irritability and disappointment to come through.

"Sex could still happen, depends on how fast you get through this," she warned him.

"All right," he sighed again. She was a stubborn woman, a very stubborn woman. "It was after I had obtained the dagger that gave me my powers," he looked at her, but she didn't ask more about this particular even; he had mentioned it before and she had not pursued it.

He continued, "A fairy came to me. She was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen and she came to help me. . . or so I thought. I later discovered she had been sent to find out the extent of my talents and how much of a threat I constituted. They, the fairies, decided that I was an extreme threat and decided to get me out of Fairyland. Their plan was simple. Convince my son to leave, to go to another dimension and, knowing how important he was to me, they assumed I would follow him."

Gold stopped talking a moment. Emma could hear that this part was costing him some effort. He spoke slowly, "I. . .didn't. . . follow him. I was afraid. He called me a coward and I lost him."

"I'm so sorry," Emma said, softly. _Now she was feeling badly about putting him through this. No wonder he was supremely pissed at the fairy-nuns._

Gold sat quietly for a moment. "I was so distressed and I blamed the beautiful fairy who had come, I had thought, to help me; I blamed her for taking my child from me. The fairy and I fought. And I found I had a power I had not known about before, a different power. I could _pull_ her powers away from her and I did. I was able to render her powerless. I took her, initially, keeping her as a housekeeper, but, understand, Emma, she was so beautiful. I had never seen anyone so beautiful. And I could have her, whether she wanted me or not," he gave a bitter laugh, "She didn't want me." Gold sat quietly and still for a moment. "I eventually did take her, sexually. . . and kept her as a bed partner, not giving her any choice in the matter." He closed his eyes, not able to look at Emma.

The two sat quietly for a long moment.

Emma finally leaned forward, "Wow, that was pretty intense. How long, how long did this go on?"

"I have no idea, it could have been days, weeks, months, even years. I know that during this time, my understanding of my powers increased, I gained a reputation and people started to come to me, to offer me things for favors."

He paused, and then began again. "I was called to some inconsequential kingdom for some trivial problem and there I met the Green Fairy and two of her sisters, the Crimson Fairy and the Yellow Fairy. They tried to restrain me and take the Lilac Fairy from me," he glanced at Emma. "The Lilac Fairy was their sister that I had taken prisoner," he added by way of explanation. "I was able to kill the Crimson Fairy, but the other two were able to free their Lilac sister and curse me with the compulsion to make deals." He explained further to Emma. "It was their way of giving me something to preoccupy my time while I worked on the problem of getting back my son. Only the Lilac Fairy can break this curse. In turn I took an oath to destroy them, whenever, where ever I could."

"Ok," Emma said again. "That was the compulsion thing you had to make the promise to me not to act on, wasn't it?"

"Yes it was," he granted. "That helped, by the way."

"So is that it?" Emma asked.

_He remembered. Usually, she would lay beneath him, with her head turned away from him and her eyes closed while he would attend to his own needs. He had never lost his awe of her beauty and this one night he remembered holding her close in his bed, stroking her soft, silky skin. It was so smooth and she smelled so wonderful. Her hair fell like a silken shower across her shoulders. He would run his hand through it. His hands then traveled down her body, briefly squeezing her lovely breasts, moving down to the sensitive skin between her legs. He began to stroke and caress her between her legs, delicately inserting first a single finger and then a second finger, all the while massaging her core. She shifted and tried to close her legs against him, but he would not allow it. He heard her begin to gasp and whimper._

"_No, please, no," she begged him. He had thought he was hurting her, but abruptly, she cried out and her body clenched around his fingers. She shook and clenched around him and his hand was unexpectedly drenched with moisture. Her eyes flew open and she pulled away from him. She was breathing hard, as if she had run a race. Her eyes were blazing with a fury he had not seen before, that she had never dared to show him._

"_You bastard!" she spoke through her teeth. "You unwashed, illiterate, oaf of a peasant!"_

"_I can read," he replied, puzzled at what had caused his usually cowed, compliant and submissive fairy to become irate and berate him._

"_You think, just because you have finally figured out how to give a woman pleasure that any woman would ever want you in her bed. The only way you will get a woman into your bed is to _force_ her, or _trick_ her or _buy_ her. No woman will ever love you for yourself. No woman will ever willingly submit to your touch or your kiss."_

_He found himself putting his hands around her throat, anything to silence her, to shut her up. If she had possessed fairy magic her words would have been as potent as a curse. But having no more power than a human female, her words were only able to hurt and wound, not cripple and kill. The words did hurt. For Rumplestiltskin, inexperienced with women, often rejected by women, never sure of his skills around women, the words drove home and hurt. _

_As he pressed on her throat, her eyes fluttered and shut and her head fell back. _

_Then Rumplestiltskin pulled back, releasing her abruptly. This was what she wanted. For him to kill her, to end her enslavement, her humiliation and degradation as his whore, his plaything. _

"_No, not so simple, Fairy. Not yet. I'm not done with you." He realized that somehow he had given her pleasure, great pleasure, from stroking her with his hands. He began again, wanting to know more about the technique, the process, the finesse of what he had done. As she had not done in a long time, she struggled fiercely against him, trying to stop him, begging him to let her go, to leave her alone. It made no matter to him, intent on his goal. _

_Against her will she again responded to his administrations and she began to cry. He did not stop in his attentions and continued to caress and stimulate her. She cried out again, going limp in his arms. She was crying as hard as the first time he had taken her, when he had rended her, causing her pain. But this time there was no pain, only pleasure. And he made the pleasure continue._

"So is that it?" Emma asked again when he didn't respond.

"Yeah, that was it," Gold responded.

_NEXT: Emma is satisfied_

_ David makes his choice_

_ Jefferson recalls _

_ Gold is willing to owe a debt_


	20. Confessions

+ + + + + _Confessions_

"So is that it?" Emma asked again when he didn't respond.

"Yeah, that was it," Gold responded. He sat a moment and then added, "Well, pretty much. They took my son, I took one of theirs. They cursed me, I cursed them. And some years later, they came up with a binding spell, using one of the red feathers from the Crimson Fairy, to help your dear father throw me into that dungeon where you found me. They'd left me there to rot."

He sat still for a moment; he knew Emma was trying to _read_ him, to use one of her most potent magical powers to ensure that he had been entirely forthcoming. He knew that she had always felt that the problems she had _reading_ him were due to her own limitations. It had never occurred to her that it might be anything that he was doing. But, as he had on other occasions, he gently_ pulled_ on her magic, very slightly weakening her, so that she wasn't quite strong enough to accurately determine if he had been truthful.

And as she had done before, she gave up and shook her head, "So, you said things were resolving themselves?

"Actually, maybe, yes. The Green Fairy has regained her memories and has been by and we are talking. We may have gone so far as to have forgiven each other our transgressions, acknowledged our mistakes and moved on a bit."

"Even after the murder of the Crimson Fairy?" Emma asked.

"Well, I actually also kinda disposed of the Yellow Fairy, too," he confessed, contritely.

Emma gave a deep sigh and rubbed her forehead. "Kinda?"

"I used her own wand against her. I didn't know it would blow her up. I thought it would just bind her powers or something like that," he sounded remorseful. _Blowing her up just turned out to be a bonus. Now, g__etting that wand was a real trick. That took two babies, although one of them was grown up by the time the second exchange came down._

"So you took out two fairies?"

"My son was, is still missing," he said, as a way of absolving his actions. "Different place, different time, different rules."

"But you and the Green Fairy are talking?"

"Almost in a civilized manner." _The alcohol helps._

"And how about you and the Lilac Fairy."

"She has no memory of what I did to her." _Or what she did to me_.

"And she's the one who has to forgive you to rid you of the deal compulsion?"

Gold nodded, "But she would have to remember the abuse and I would just as soon that she not remember our time together. I behaved like a monster." _And if you knew how badly I really treated her, you might not be able to forgive me._

Emma sat back. _What a staggering story. The fairies had tried to get rid of him and had taken his son from him. In vengeance, Gold. . . or Rumple, had raped a woman, keeping her a prisoner and subjecting her to weeks, even months, of abuse, and had killed two other women. He was right though, it had been a different place, different times, different rules. And they had ultimately taken him into their own justice, capturing him, neutering him, imprisoning him._

Emma observed, "No wonder they imprisoned you, locking you away in that dark, damp cave. You were very dangerous."

_And you released me, Princess. _"I still am, Emma. You know that about me. You've been ok with that." He leaned back in the chair she had tied him to. "Now that you know some of the things I've done, are you no longer ok with me? Are you shocked, appalled, repulsed?" His eyes briefly glinted red.

Emma caught the glinting _Was that a reflection? _and carefully considered her answer. "I knew you had a dark past, that there is a very dark part of you, that you have done some . . ." she struggled to find the right words, "some dark things," she finally gave up and finished up. "Maybe I didn't realize how dark the things were. . . rape, murder."

Very, very softly, he told her, "You know, I've changed, really changed. Because of you, Henry, Ysbael. I'm not the same person."

She smiled at him, "I know." She once again shook her head. "Well, it's not like there's an outstanding warrant against you or an extradition order or even evidence, beyond your confession. And it's not like the fairies. . . uh. . . nuns are guiltless in all this." She narrowed her eyes and looked closely at him. "Anything worse buried in your back yard. . . hanging out in the back of your closet. . . residing in the attic? Anything else I need to know about?"

"This is probably some of the worst I've done. But there have been other killings." He cleared his throat, "Emma, I took young women as payment for saving their father's kingdoms," He made eye contact with her. "I took many of them into my bed, not all were willing. And," he added to his confession, "I've been accused of stepping on people." _After first turning them into snails._

"But not in my jurisdiction, under my watch?"

"And not for many years, even before you came to town. Attacking Moe French was probably the worst I've done in a long time and you did arrest me for that."

"And then you promptly bought your way out of any consequences," she noted dryly.

"Everyone came out of it feeling happy," he reminded her peevishly.

"Money does go a long way to fixing a lot of problems," Emma was not being complimentary.

"It does, indeed," he smiled in agreement, although he knew she disapproved. "Are we finished with the grilling?"

She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "I guess so," she finally acquiesced.

"Sex, now?" he asked eagerly.

She smiled at him. _There were certainly those moments that she could clearly see the ingenuousness of the green-skinned imp coming through. _"Yes, dear."

"Good," he responded and, faster than she could react to, he pulled against the restraints and she watched in stunned surprise as the knots in the bindings just fell apart. _He could have gotten loose anytime! _He was up and on Emma before she could react, lifting her up from her chair and pushing her back to the couch, pushing her down, pushing her. He was on top of her and pulling at her clothes. Pulling them down and off.

Struggling with removing her pants, he groused at her, "Now that you're Mayor-Elect, you need to start wearing more dresses. They are more appropriate for your new job and easier for me to get through to you."

"Gold, stop a moment," Emma was pushing against him, but he was completely ignoring her. She managed to protest between his kisses, "Now, I was going to take advantage of you being restrained. How did you get untied?"

He stopped, lifted his body slightly up from hers, and looked down at her, holding her wrists in one of his hands. "I don't mind being cooperative with your randy predilections, but I'm not into submission, Emma. If you're going to restrain me, you're going to need to use something a lot more secure than ropes." He began again, giving her his full attention.

She was just able to murmur, "So you were just patronizing me. Next time, I'll use the handcuffs."

She just barely heard him, "You'll actually need a magic red feather and a certain spell, dearie, or don't even bother."

+ + + + + _The Decision_

"Well, I've made my decision," David announced.

It was early the following morning. Gold had kept Emma busy for some time the previous night and she had eventually dozed off despite his tireless attentions. He never seemed to have problems waking up or getting up in the morning and had brought Ysbael into her while she was still struggling to wake up. After feeding the baby, in the face of his uncompromising stare, Emma had dressed in her usual jeans, tank top, shirt and added her red leather jacket. She had gone on into the office carrying her breakfast with her. She was enjoying a chocolate croissant and some coffee, both from home. Gold had procured a box of the delicate pastries for her and she'd had to stop herself from eating them all with both hands. They were soooo good.

"About your deputy?" Emma asked, licking chocolate off her fingers.

"You're going to think I've gone off the deep end."

"Well, tell me, please. I'm all primed and interested."

"It wasn't easy. I mean they all had some great characteristics to recommend them for the job and they all had some things that I was concerned would get in their way."

"David," Emma shot him a warning glance. "Don't drag this out any further."

"Leroy."

"Leroy? You are kidding!"

"I think he's got the right stuff. He's got some experience. And somehow, well, Emma, you're going to laugh, but I feel like I could depend on him if I had to. Like I just know he'd be there for me, backing me up, watching out for me in a bad situation."

"Like you've lived through something with him before?"

David grimaced, "I told you that you'd laugh, but yes."

"Gold would say that maybe you had."

"Well, Gold has some funny ideas, if you don't mind me saying so," he immediately apologized.

Emma shrugged, "He does indeed. He thinks he's going to get me into dresses."

+ + + + + _A New Place_

Now this place was different.

The tall young man picked up his hat and looked around. He had been exploring the options his own magic offered and now he stood on a road, paved with yellowish bricks. He could, off in the distance, see some houses, but they didn't look like ordinary dwellings. The houses, the nearby gardens, the fence rails, everything was on a smaller scale. He considered a moment. He could still be in Wonderland as size was never a constant there. But he didn't think so. He didn't feel _bigger, _so the size of things here was likely exactly what they appeared to be.

"Run away, stranger, run away," he heard a voice whisper out to him. He looked around. He saw no one.

"Get away while you can," the voice was even more urgent. He saw the bushes off the road rustle and caught a glimpse of a person.

"Who are you? What is wrong? Can I help?" he asked.

"Save yourself. _She's_ coming."

Before he could get any further information the person had scampered off.

Cautiously now, he began to walk along the road, looking and listening. He was quite prepared to face danger, but preferred to avoid it, if at all possible.

He heard someone running, coming up behind him. He stepped off the road and crouched in amongst some of the bushes, just barely remembering to remove his hat before concealing himself, when he saw her. A young woman, but not like anyone he had ever seen, was running, gasping for air, holding her side. What caught his attention first and held it, was the color of her skin. She glittered, a pale green-gold color. Otherwise, he could see long straight, lustrous black hair and voluminous black clothing. Interestingly, she wore silver shoes that sparkled in the sunlight. At one point she turned and faced his hiding place directly. Despite, or perhaps because of, her exotic coloring, he felt that she was stunningly beautiful. But she looked exhausted and slowed as she came to a stop near his hiding place.

She was actually quite close to him and he could see that she had been crying. She looked terrorized and absolutely distraught. He couldn't let this go on. This could not possibly have been the _she_ the other stranger had whispered the warning to him about. This was a beautiful, young woman, helpless, vulnerable.

He slowly stood, drawing himself up to his full height and quickly, slowly and softly said, "Please don't be afraid. I mean you no harm."

The young woman gasped and cowered back before him. "You've come to kill me," she accused him.

"I have no weapon," he replaced his hat and showed her his empty hands as he stepped away from the shrubbery onto the road.

"With magic then. I can see your magic," she told him. She kept backing away from him, holding her hands up as if to ward off any stray spells.

"I promise, I'm not here to hurt you. I'm a stranger in this place."

Still breathing heavily, she told him, "Then leave, leave the way you came. This place is not safe."

"But you are in trouble. How can I help you?" he offered her, genuinely concerned about her.

She shook her head. "You should leave. You cannot help me. You will be taken down too." She turned away from him and continued on her journey, no longer running, but walking at a fast rate.

He followed her. "Please, please fair lady, let me help you. Tell me what is wrong."

She sighed but continued with a labored pace down the road. "The good king of this land, King Pastoria, has died. The kingdom has fallen into disarray. His four daughters were fighting over who would rule when an evil wizard came and took over the capital city. He has surrounded it with deep, dark magic and all have lost hope. I am being chased by my enemies who want to capture me, perhaps kill me. If you are found with me, you will be captured or killed also."

"Where are you going?"

She stopped and drew herself up, proudly. "I am not one to run forever. I have a plan to seek out the evil wizard. I have some talents myself and, if it will free my people, I shall try to rid the kingdom of him."

"Your people? Are you one of the daughters?" he asked in sudden realization.

She bowed her head. "I am ashamed to admit it, but yes. Had my sisters and I not been fighting, if we could have joined together in the defense of our land, then the evil wizard would have not been able to take over the capital. I am at fault. I put my people in danger.

"Fair lady," he bowed to her, "Please allow me to be at your service and help with you with this noble endeavor. My name is Jefferson."

She stood a moment, still breathing hard, considering his offer. "You are too kind, sir. You may call me Gingema." She offered him her hand and he genteelly raised it to his lips.

"Your servant, madame. Lead on, please, I shall follow."

She smiled graciously at him. "Thank you, Jefferson. I am honored to make your acquaintance."

As they continued down the road together, Jefferson asked Gingema, "Madame, may I ask where I am? What country, what land is this?"

"Why sir, this is the Land of Oz." she replied.

+ + + + + _A Shared Drink_

"So she's ok with your history with the fairies?" Giselle asked him. She was sitting in the early evening in his pawn shop sharing a glass of his scotch with him. She was still dressed as a nun, which was a little unnerving, but her demeanor and manner was ever that of the Green Fairy, clever, forthright and shrewd.

He nodded, "She's accepting that these things happened long ago, in another place, another time. She's appalled, of course."

"Well, we all are. You were quite the brute."

"And you were quite the conniving bitch," he observed. "How is little Lillian?" He used the name of the Lilac Fairy, something he did quite rarely.

"The same as she's been. Somewhat confused, generally fearful, ever anxious to please."

"No memories yet?"

"Not that I can tell, though I think that some of my other sisters are beginning to have some recall. The Blue Fairy, especially. She has been saying some cryptic things to me as if to feel me out about my consciousness. She was so powerful Before, that I would think she would be among the first to regain her memories."

"Do you think she'll want to come after me?"

"I don't know. I might guess that she has had the same second thoughts about how we treated you as I have had." She smiled at him and toasted him with her second drink. "I'll do my best to let you know if there's a problem."

"Thank you, my dear. I would consider that a favor and would owe you a debt of gratitude."

"Rumplestiltskin could owe me a favor. I would like that."

_I've taken some modest liberties with the Baum story but kept the original silver slippers of the new character (and, of course, this new character is not my own) _

_There were several readers who suggested Jefferson for Deputy but I struggled with matching him with the demands of this job. I do find him an interesting character, especially juxtaposed to Rumple Gold and wanted to give him alittle backstory and alittle new story. Hope people enjoy this new story arc. thx so much Txm_


	21. A Quiet Evening

+ + + + + _A Quiet Evening_

The Golds' were having a family meal that evening, including Henry and Ysbael, who was old enough to sit at the table but was not really eating solid food. Emma was sometimes struck at how serious the child often was; she looked people right in the eye and Emma knew already that she had inherited her father's stern stare. However, tonight the stern stare was absent. Henry and Gold were both making her giggle. Right now Ysbael was in the throes of a giggle fit as both her father and brother were making duck sounds at her. Each time they would make a squawking-quacking sound, she would bust out with another round of cackling. Emma thought at how completely Gold's image would be shattered if anyone outside of the family saw him now – making silly sounds at a baby – and enjoying himself.

It was Henry's turn to engage the baby and Gold had pulled back, his eyes flicking over Emma's casual tank top attire. The scoop-neck top showed off her shoulders and arms and dipped low enough that the tops of her breasts with their gentle swelling were visible. Emma caught his eye and glanced down. She sat back up and tried to surreptitiously pull up the top.

He leaned in towards her and spoke in a low tone, "Don't bother with that on my account, dearie. But I have shared with you that I don't like it when other men are able to view my wife's . . . assets."

"I know," she admitted to him. "But I didn't have anything else clean."

"I pay Miss Ashley to do our laundry, but I've found it works best if you actually give the garments to her to wash."

Emma sighed, "Rather than leaving them scattered about. You're a neat-freak, you know that," she said, trying to deflect him.

"You wound me, dear. How shall I handle that scathing assessment of my character?"

Emma knew that she would not win in a battle of words with her husband, and certainly not with her children present. But he seemed in a good mood and after sighing, knowing he was not likely to impact on Emma's slattern ways, he added, "You could buy more clothes."

"Yeah," Emma frowned at him. "I know, the dress thing."

Henry was looking at the two, puzzled. Emma addressed him, "Your father thinks I should buy more dresses because I'm going to be the mayor now." _She omitted the part that he wanted her in skirts that he could just lift up to get at her lady parts. _

"It's also more appropriate with her position as the wife of the wealthiest man in town," he added. "She should begin dressing the part."

"Mom," Henry responded. "You look extra pretty in dresses. I think you should wear more of them, too."

Emma glared at the two most important men in her life. She imagined them high-fiving each other the first moment they were out of her sight. "Men," she pulled a face at both of them and abruptly Ysbael started giggling again. "You better be on my side, girl," she talked directly to her daughter. "These two men will try to boss us around and we females need to stick together."

The family enjoyed some dessert and a quiet evening. Gold was now teaching Henry chess and the two played each other seriously for nearly an hour. Emma was engaged in another serious discussion about the content of some picture books with Ysbael who seemed intently interested in bunnies, kitties and puppies at the moment. Soon enough, Emma removed herself to bathe and then feed the baby, while Gold supervised Henry in their usual bedtime rituals.

"This was a nice evening," she remarked to Gold who was waiting for her in their bedroom when she came in after laying Ysbael down.

"It was," he agreed. Better than her plain tank tops and dollar store granny panties which she had often worn to bed previously, Emma was now wearing one of the night garments he had bought for her. Whatever her transgressions in daywear were, and she had many, she had been very compliant with his requests for what she wore to bed. This evening she wore a short pink silk chemise with tiny black polka dots and black-lace trimming. It came with matching undies and was one of his favorites. With her honey-blonde hair, the combination made her look sweet and innocent. She was smiling at him when she climbed into bed with him.

"Have I ever told you that I think we need to send Regina a thank you note?" Emma said as she snuggled with him.

"What?" he responded, almost choking.

"Well, I don't think I would have ever willingly gotten into bed with you but for her interference."

"She tricked us both," he noted sourly.

"Yeah, well I've been tricked into your bed a couple of times, and not always by Regina; but mind you, I'm not complaining. And our agreement to pretend we were engaged and then finding out I was pregnant, well honestly that made it feel like I was bound to you and kinda forced into your bed, even though I'll admit, I didn't protest too much on that account either. And then, when I was furious with you for locking me in the basement, but you kept me around by promising me that you would get Henry back, well, I felt like you were paying me off, like you bought me for your bed."

Gold gave her his tightest smile. "I've been told that the only ways I can ever get any woman into my bed it through forcing her, tricking her or buying her. Sounds like I've done all three to you."

"What bitch told you that?" Emma asked. "Well, I'm not being forced, tricked or bought right now. Let me assure you that I enjoy getting in your bed and as tough as it was, I am grateful for everything that led up to this."

"You enjoy it?" This was important for Gold to hear, for Rumple to hear.

"Absolutely, I always have a good time. You're usually gentle and even when you aren't, you are always very. . . thorough. I figure it's been to my benefit that you likely shtupped nearly every attractive and semi-attractive woman in town, mostly prior to my arrival. . . I think. Apparently one or two of them taught you something about pleasing a woman."

Gold smiled at her. "One or two of them, yes. And, tell me again, you're in my bed because you want to be?"

"Of course," she began to plant soft kisses on his jaw line, down his neck and on to his chest.

Gold closed his eyes. _This was unexpected news, good news. It meant that one of the last pieces of bitterness spewed at him from the Lilac Fairy had faded. He had indeed tricked Emma, forced her and bought her, but right now, she was in his bed because she wanted to be. _

He allowed Emma to show how happy she was to be him, her kisses dropping down his chest and. . . then. . . lower.

_He supposed he should be pleased with himself. He had indeed learned from many women, but Emma had learned only from him. He was either an excellent teacher or she was a superb student. _

+ + + + + _Encounter_

It was early the next morning. Emma had fed Ysbael, gotten Henry fed and off to school, finished her own breakfast (another one of the chocolate croissants!) with Gold and had left the house before him walking toward the Sheriff's office. She and David were planning on briefing Leroy regarding his job responsibilities later that morning and Emma was looking forward to watching David handle the situation. As she passed Gold's shop she noticed someone working in the small flower bed in front of the shop. As she got closer, she saw that it was a petite woman dressed in the habit of a nun. As she approached her, the woman did not look up, intent on pulling weeds from around the flowers.

"Hello," she said as she came up from behind.

The woman startled, turning toward Emma and, Emma noted, holding her hand above her face as if to ward off a blow.

"Hi, I was just walking by and wanted to tell you what a fine job you've done with the flower garden."

The woman slowly lowered her hand and gave her a small smile. Emma could see her face. Pale skin, amethyst eyes, beautiful, even features. No question. This was the Lilac Fairy.

"Thank you," her voice was soft and melodious. "I'm glad to be of service."

She didn't say anything else and appeared about to turn her attention back to the garden. Emma blurted out, "Aren't you Sister Lillian?"

The woman pulled back. "Yes," she replied. She seemed apologetic, as if she might have offended Emma.

"I'm Emma Gold, the Sheriff."

The woman seemed to shrink in front of her but managed to respond, in a low whisper, "Nice to meet you, Sheriff Gold."

Emma kept up her biggest smile. _What was wrong with this woman? She seemed terrified. Emma had seen this while in foster care. Especially with some of kids coming in new who had been abused by their parents. They automatically covered their heads when their names were called, as if expecting to be hit. They automatically assumed that any comment they would make would be met with derision, at best, or another hit. They automatically assumed that anybody they met was there to hurt them. What the hell had Gold. . .Rumple done to the woman? _

"Are you out here every morning?" she tried to find another question that was suitably banal.

"Only on Mondays and Thursdays," Sister Lillian replied. She kept her eyes down and remained kneeling.

Emma squatted down. "Gold has told me how happy he is with the job you've done with the flowers. He's not much with plants." She couldn't help but notice that the woman flinched at Gold's name.

"You are his wife, aren't you?" she asked Emma.

"Yes, dear," Emma tried to sound gentle and non-threatening.

"Has he, has he. . . told you anything about me?"

_Did this woman actually remember anything? _"I know you have been the one to tend his plants."

"Yes, yes. I'm glad he's happy with the flowers." There was an awkward silence and then Lillian spoke up. "He's not really mentioned the flowers, has he?"

Emma had to smile, "Actually no, but that's a good thing. He tends to go on more about things he doesn't like. So if he's not mentioned something. . . "

Lillian smiled back at her. "then it's good," she finished.

_Good grief, _Emma thought. _This woman was absolutely stunning, even with the austere habit clothing and no makeup. She was incredibly beautiful. Emma could only imagined what she had looked like in Rumple's world._

+ + + + + _A Caution_

Jefferson and Gingema were moving along the brick road at a fast clip. They had just made it by the town of small houses. Gingema had waved off visiting the little town. The houses, she explained, belonged to the Munchkins, a race of small people loyal to her. If any of those following her were to catch her in their town, the Munchkins would be in danger.

Jefferson dutifully followed her and it was he that first heard the high pitched whirling sound and saw a light coming out of the sky.

"Something's coming," he alerted her.

"It's some one," she corrected him.

"Shall we try to hide?"

She shook her head, "It's too late, she's seen us." She took a deep breath and took a hold of his arm. "It's my sister, Glenda. She's amazingly beautiful. And all my life, people have listened to her, never to me. Jefferson, she will say things to try to convince you that I'm a terrible person, that I am evil. Please, please, don't listen to her," she begged him.

Jefferson listened to the pretty green fae and turned his attention to the ball of light that landed in front of their path. It glowed a glorious pink and a very delicate, young woman materialized from the center of the light. To Jefferson's eyes, the young woman looked plain and uninspiring, merely simply pretty and not enticingly exotic.

"Gingema, darling," she addressed her green sister in a breathy whisper. "Do you think it is wise to pursue this course of action? The wizard will discover what you are up to soon enough and he will kill you."

Jefferson was surprised. Glenda sounded more concerned than accusing.

Gingema responded, "What choice do I have? I can sit back and wait for him to come to us and he will, soon enough. . . or I can go after him. I choose to fight. Not to sit in a castle somewhere and hope that maybe he will go away. He wants our magic, sister. He wants us dead."

"We don't know that," her sister sounded so reasonable. "We've heard nothing from him."

"Why else do you think he's come? Do you think he's here to advise us on dress fashions or take us to a dance? Now you can come with me and help or you can get out of my way," Gingema spoke harshly.

Glenda shook her head. "My sister, I shall not come with you. I shall not get in your way. Be careful, be careful. If we know nothing else, the wizard is very dangerous. He will not be easy to kill." She turned and nodded to Jefferson and was quickly enveloped in a ball of pink light which rose and drifted back the way it had come.

"Can you believe her?" she asked Jefferson. "She made herself sound so kind and reasonable and so concerned. 'Be careful, be careful'," she mocked her sister. "Does she not realize how dangerous this wizard is? If we do nothing he will enslave us or he will kill us. And she leaves me to do all the work. If I succeed, she will still expect to regain her land to rule. If I should fail, she will bow before the wizard and tell him she had nothing to do with me or my plan." Gingema was clearly furious.

While listening to her, Jefferson could hear her anger and frustration with her sister. He could also hear some fear at the daunting task that lay before her.

"My lady, put this behind you. If your sister does not wish to help, so be it." He turned her to face him. "You can only do what is right for you, what you must do."

Gingema glowered at him for a moment and then broke into a smile. When she smiled she reminded him of his cousin, Regina, beautiful, clever, and somewhat devious and untrustworthy. Regina was a remarkable talent. She had inherited many skills from her mother. Regina, who had never thought he was strong, who had never thought he deserved the magical talent he had. For his part, Jefferson had always thought Regina was too close to that devil imp, Rumpelstiltskin. He knew the imp only from reputation, but that was enough. That was enough.

Gingema stood on her tiptoes and placed a kiss gently on his lips. "You do help me. You help me so much. And you're right. I have to do what is right for me. Thank you."

The two walked on, down the yellow brick road.

+ + + + + _Re-Connect_

Jefferson stopped by the pawn shop to see Gold.

Gold looked up when the tall, young man came in. "You look happy," observed Gold.

"Yes sir, I am. I have spent several evenings in the company of the most delightful, refreshing young woman. I had no idea she was here, that she was no longer a child."

"I didn't think you knew," said Gold.

"I wanted to thank you for. . . re-connecting us. Is there anything I can do, anyway I can thank you?"

Gold shook his head. "I was in a generous mood when you came in and I knew she would be in shortly with her payment. I thought I would try to get you two together. You are, after all, the father of the lovely child who will almost certainly become my daughter-in-law."

"Your meddling hasn't always worked out well for me, Gold. That first time. . . " began Jefferson.

"You got in that situation by yourself, Jefferson. I just happened to be there on personal business and helped you get out of it."

"You were as dangerous then as you have ever been. Personal business, hah."

Gold was smiling at him. "I did get around those days and had my finger in a lot of pies," he admitted.

Jefferson turned to leave, but stopped as he got to the door. "Did you know, did you know then?"

"Know what?" asked Gold

"About Grace?"

Gold smiled at him. "How could I have known? That was long before Emma, before Henry. How powerful do you think I am?"

"I would never underestimate you," Jefferson told him.

"Well," Gold said in an undertone. "that is probably a wise course of action."

+ + + + + _New on the Job_

"Now Leroy, of course there will be no drinking on the job," David was emphasizing the responsibilities of the new position.

"Well damn, David, I thought you had to stay drunk to do this job," he responded sharply. "I'm joking of course. No drinking, gotcha. Same as working security at the hospital."

David continued. "Now, I will tell you what Sheriff Gold told me when I first came on board. This is your desk. This is your cell phone. This is your desk phone. When either phone rings, you answer it."

Leroy considered. "Hey, I can do that. Anything else?"

"That's pretty much it."

"Well, David, let me tell you. I really appreciate the opportunity to do this job. I won't let you down." Leroy settled in at David's old desk (Emma had vacated her spot so David could work from her old position). Leroy stretched. "Hey, can I bring my cat to work? He's really not much trouble. He just likes to be around people."

+ + + + + _Remembering_

"Good afternoon, sister. How are things going for you?" It was Feta Celeste, the Blue Fairy. She had come across Sister Giselle reviewing the assignments for flower duty.

"Excellent, Mother Superior. Assignments are going well, flowers are looking beautiful."

Celeste sat down next to her. "You are doing well?"

"Very much so. Thank you." Giselle watched her closely.

"I'm remembering things," shared Celeste.

"Me too," replied Giselle.

The two women sat quietly for a long moment.

Finally Celeste said, "Rumplestiltskin."

Giselle sat a moment, made eye contact and responded, "Mr. Gold."

_NEXT Jefferson and Gingema make a new friend (?)_

_ Mary Margaret has to ask Gold for help (which will work out in Gold's favor)_

_A.N. The Jefferson story should be picking up with the next chapter. He and his new lady friend will have an interesting encounter with someone who may or may not be helpful to them on their quest. _


	22. Chapter 22

_This chapter ran a bit longer than I intended, but I kept having to go back into it to add bits that would balance with some later chapters. Hope it works. txm_

+ + + + + + _A Favor?_

Emma had begun attending some of the myriad of meetings that Regina had on her mayoral agenda. _No wonder Regina was such a bitch. Sitting through this many ass-numbingly dull meetings would change anybody into Class A Bitch. _

Emma kept texting "KMN" messages to Gold, hoping that maybe Henry would translate for his father. She had visions of a dark knight _(Gold?)_ riding a horse as black as midnight swooping in, scooping her up and taking her away from the meetings. When the dark knight failed to show up, she then found herself wishing for a knight in shining armor _(Daddy?)_ to come over the hill and rescue her. She had to remind herself that she had wanted this, had run for election and worked to get this position.

She steeled herself when Regina came over and sat down next to her. Regina was smiling. "I've finished cleaning out my office. It's ready for you to move in." She looked around. "This isn't exactly what you were expecting, is it?"

Emma gave her a weak smile. "You're right. I guess the mundane business of running a small town isn't as exciting as I thought it would be."

"Well, anytime you're ready to pack it in, just let me know. I'll be happy to step back into the job."

Emma gave her a weak smile, "Regina, what are you planning on doing once you leave office?"

"I have a number of charity organizations that I sit on the board of directors. There's also the hospital board. I have a big role with the executive board of_The Daily Mirror. _I also have a position with the Storybrooke Bank and will likely take a more active role with them." Regina gave Emma her sweetest smile. "I'm not going to be sitting home moping, if that's what you're thinking."

"How are you getting along. . . otherwise?" Emma asked.

"Why dear, you sound like you're asking like you're a friend and are genuinely concerned about me." Regina quit smiling. "Now you surely know, my dear, that your husband has done everything he can to destroy my life. He's taken every bit of power that I have, taken my child, taken my. . . "Regina stopped herself. "If I thought I had any chance to succeed against him at all, I would go after him. You would be wise to take your own precautions. I'm assuming you have a pre-nup, but, well, we both know how. . . agile. . . the man is with the printed word. You know he kept me as his mistress for a couple of years before, I guess, he just got tired of me, and then dumped me. I am so hoping he's changed and he won't do the same to you. You do have two children to look after." Regina rose and gave her a quick smile. "Trying to do you a favor here." She turned and left Emma open-mouthed.

+ + + + + _A New Companion (Scary, Scary)_

Jefferson and Gingema had continued on the road until it had begun to get dark. He was not sure how much distance they had covered, but then again he also didn't know how far they had to go. Gingema walked with confidence and kept a steady pace. He walked behind her, watching her back and, truth be known, watching her backside. She was a compact, well-toned young woman, of medium stature. Besides her amazing skin color, her long black hair was one of her best features. He watched it swing and curl down her back as she walked. He wondered what it would be like to wrap one of those silky locks around his hand and use it to pull her face to his. She had large, very dark green eyes with sooty black lashes and a rich, full mouth. He found himself wondering what those full lips would feel like next to his. He also couldn't help but note that after awhile his fae lady began to bestow more and more adoring glances on him. And while he was used to ladies bestowing adoring glances his way, he was particularly enjoying the evidence of her favor.

"We will have to find some place to spend the night, Jefferson. "

"And we definitely need to find something to eat, Gingema," he reminded her. He noted that they were passing a corn field and he momentarily left the path to pull a few ears off a stalk. "Not much but it's a start."

"Oh no. Don't steal my corn!" they both heard a voice coming from the field.

Jefferson stopped and looked for the source of the voice. "Who's there?"

"A scary, scary, scaaarrry scarecrow," came the reply, but the voice was high-pitched and sing-songy – not very scary sounding.

Gingema rolled her eyes. "Come on Jefferson, we don't have time for this." She pulled on his elbow.

"No, my lady," he told her. "I've got to see this." He turned back to the field. "Come on, scary, scary, scaaarrry scarecrow. Show yourself."

There was no response for awhile.

Then.

"Go away," an almost childlike voice ordered them out.

"Show yourself." There was no response. "I'll take more of your corn," he threatened reaching up to pull more ears off of a stalk.

"No, no, no!" A slight, wiry figure flopped out onto the field. The figure was dressed in castoff rags and had straw coming out of its sleeves, its pants legs and all entwined in his scraggy hair. He looked sad and forlorn. "Please, please, please, leave my corn alone. Shoo, shoo." He waved his hands at them while he sat on the ground with his legs spread out in front of him.

Jefferson felt sorry for the figure. "Listen, we've had nothing to eat all day. We just wanted a couple of ears for our supper."

"Supper. Oh, I don't know. I don't know. This," he made a dramatic gesture raising one finger up in the air, "is a moral dilemma. I am not supposed to let anyone except the farmer have the corn, but you and the lady are hungry, so hungry. It would be wrong to send you away hungry." The creature wrung his hands, spilling out straw. "I don't know. I don't know. This problem is too hard for me."

"Not much of decision maker are you?" Gingema observed, her tone a bit surly.

"Oh no, my gracious, beautiful lady, I am not able to decide, not able to think." He somersaulted over, spilling more straw and then stood up. "You see," he leaned forward and shared. "I don't have a brain."

"You actually didn't have to share that. We kinda figured it out," Gingema responded. "Come on Jefferson. We need to find some place to stay. We won't get anywhere talking with this scarecrow."

"Oh, oh, oh," the scarecrow said. "Listen, listen, listen." He flopped back down to the ground and began stuffing some of the spilled straw back into random places. "You need a place to sleep, somewhere you won't get wet, somewhere you won't be cold, somewhere with a soft place to lay your head."

"Well, yeah," Gingema agreed. "Can you help us?"

"I don't know, but maybe, maybe. Follow me. Follow me." He popped back up and led them back to the road. "Come, come, come." He directed them.

Jefferson and Gingema looked at each other, mutually shrugged and began to follow the figure.

It wasn't long before he led them off the path and a little way into the woods. "This is not a house. This is not big. This is not much. But it is something. It is better than nothing," the creature chattered as he led them along.

They came to a simple lean-to, with a roof and walls on three sides. Under the roof there was a small table and two chairs. There were wide shelves built into the back wall and these were layered with thick straw. They would make marginally comfortable beds. The figure began to rummage around some of the other, narrower shelves in the structure. He produced a pot and some small bowls.

He explained. "A metal man stays here sometimes. I see him. He stays out of the rain here. I have not seen him in a long, long time. Other travelers come and go and go and come. They stay here too." He began to use one of his rags to clean out one of the bowls. Gingema shook her head and took the bowls away from him.

"I know where there is water," the creature said holding up the pot. "You can soak the corn before you eat it," he suggested helpfully.

"Better yet we could start a fire and boil it," Jefferson suggested, locating a small fire pit on the other side of the lean-to and beginning to pile some lighter knots into it.

"Fire! No! No fire!" the figure was duly frightened. "Please, no fire!" he begged.

"Oh, you'll be fine if you stay away from it," Gingema waved off his concerns.

Jefferson was also digging around the shelves. "Here's some grain. I think it's probably some oatmeal. It doesn't look buggy. Let me look around to see what greens there might be for us to eat. Creature, can you help and let me know what might be edible and what is not?"

"Yes, oh yes, happy to help, happy to help," the creature seemed so eager to help and please the duo.

"I'm Jefferson. This is the Lady Gingema. What do we call you?"

"I don't have a name. Have never had a name," the figure looked momentarily saddened. He slumped over, then brightened up, "You could name me. Please, you can call me whatever you like."

Jefferson caught Gingema's eye. She rolled her eyes and shrugged. Jefferson smiled. "How about we call you 'Ray'?" He said the first thing he thought of.

"Oh that is good, so good. Call me 'Ray'." The figure did a couple of somersaults through the woods, singing "Ray, Ray, Ray." He pointed something out to Jefferson, "Oh yes. Here are some mushrooms. These are good to eat. And some leafy greens. Good for you. Around the corner, around the corner, there is an old vegetable garden. Maybe, maybe some potatoes are still in the ground."

Jefferson found the small garden and began to poke around. Sure enough, he was able to find a couple of potatoes. He also spotted an old apple tree. There were still a few fruits on the tree and he picked several. He brought the food back to Gingema who had busied herself straightening out the bedding and clearing a space on the top of table. While not the nicest place Jefferson had ever stayed it, it wasn't the worst and the company was as interesting as he could ever hope for.

Between the potatoes, corn, grain, mushrooms, and greens, Jefferson was able to stew them an acceptable meal. They ate from the bowls (which Jefferson had taken down to the water to wash out). They sat under the shelter and then desserted on the apples. When lightening split across the sky and they heard thunder, they were both very glad of the minimal shelter. The downpour started soon after. They huddled together while Ray jabbered to himself and danced around in the rain.

"Is he insane?" Jefferson asked Gingema in a whisper.

"I don't think so. I think he's just brainless."

Jefferson was not surprised when later that evening, Gingema leaned forward and gave him a light kiss on his lips before excusing herself for the bed.

+ + + + + + _Settling in the Cat_

Prior to depositing his cat in the Sheriff's office, Leroy had reluctantly made the decision in favor of responsible pet ownership. He had taken in Mr. Puss Puss to the vet.

"I guess he's had his run, which is as much as any of us can hope for," he'd told David.

He had brought back the somewhat groggy cat into the Sheriff's office.

"What kind of mountain lion, er, cat is that?" David had never seen Puss Puss and was surprised at the size of the animal.

"They told me he was a Maine Coon. They do get kinda big. He's twenty-four pounds right now. The vet told me to watch and make sure he doesn't start putting on weight. They usually have sweet, gentle personalities, but I guess Puss Puss didn't read his cat manual of behavior." He gently laid the big fluffy guy on the window seat cushion of the office. The cat sprawled out, more than a yard of fur and muscle and dozed.

"It should take a couple of hours for the medication to wear off, so he'll sleep awhile."

"Where ever did you get him?"

"One of the sisters found him as a kitten. The vet told me he was probably a runt that had been rejected by the mother. I took him in and took care of him." Leroy looked at David wistfully. "I know about being a runt so I guess I bonded with him. He's been a good cat. I mean, he catches mice and other vermin. But lately, he gets out and roams around a lot. Chasing the ladies, I guess. I know he's caused a lot of trouble. But he's a good cat."

David had to smile. The gruff Leroy was so gentle with the semi-comatose animal, stroking its head fondly. This was a side of Leroy he hadn't seen before.

"Well, unless we start having a problem, I guess I'm fine with him staying here," he agreed to adding the cat to the other fixtures in the Sheriff's office.

"Thanks David. I appreciate this."

+ + + + + _Happiness Begins Somewhere_

"Alice, I'm really enjoying our time together." Jefferson had taken out the delectable Ms. Dodgson for yet another date. She had been an intelligent, insightful child, and had, not surprisingly, grown into an intelligent, insightful young woman. She was able to both converse and listen, two talents that he had found did not often occur together. From his standpoint, he was already ready to propose, but knew it would be far too soon for her. He knew that, from her perspective, she had only just met him. He knew he fascinated her and could tell she was attracted to him, but didn't think she was ready just yet for anything more permanent in a relationship.

He had been brave enough to hold her hand and had given her a few chaste pecks on the cheek but nothing more. So he was surprised when, that evening, at her door, she grabbed him and pulled him to her, kissing him soundly on the lips. He kissed her back and realized that he was holding her altogether too closely.

When they finally separated, her eyes were glistening. "Please, please, won't you come in?" she asked him.

"Are you sure, Alice? We've really only just met, what now? A week ago," but he allowed her to pull him inside the door of her little house.

"I know, and I'm not usually so impetuous, but, Jefferson, I somehow feel that I've known you for a long time, that I've been close to you for a long time." She steered him to a plush sofa in the living room of the house. "Let me get you a drink. You like red wine, right?"

"Yes, thank you." Jefferson proceeded cautiously, " Alice, you don't know anything about me."

"You're intelligent, funny, attentive. Oh, and rich and you're friends with Mr. Gold," she began and handed him a glass of merlot. She sat down on the sofa next to him and took a sip from her own glass.

"Not exactly friends, but we do know each other," he corrected.

"Have you ever murdered anyone?"

He laughed, "No, I've never hurt anyone on purpose."

"Do you have any outstanding warrants against you?"

"No."

"Do you have a wife, a baby?"

Jefferson did not respond immediately. Alice's clear blue eyes sparkled. "Ah, now Gold said you weren't married _at the moment_ so does that mean there's an ex-wife somewhere?"

"The ex-wife is completely out of the picture. I have a daughter but she's living in the custody of some very good friends at the moment," he told her the truth.

"I'm sorry." She seemed embarrassed. "I didn't mean to pry."

"It's all right," he assured her. "I made a mistake, a stupid mistake and a serious one, and I wasn't around to take care of her. She's better off where she is right now and I try to stay out of her life."

Alice finished her drink and leaned in towards Jefferson. She didn't say anything else, but began to kiss him. His arms went around her and this time he didn't let go.

+ + + + + _A Talented Child and a Promising Business Deal_

It was afterschool when Paige dropped by the Pawn Shop by herself.

"Sir, I would like to talk with you again," she addressed Gold directly, looking him right in the eye, unflinchingly.

_The more he saw of this child, the more he liked her. Spirit, intelligence, bravery. Every bit her mother's daughter with a healthy dose of her father's best characteristics. Her mother could well have been his daughter, although he was quite sure she was not. Pity about her; bad choices (some of them his choices) and sheer bad luck had taken her down. _

"And how may I help you this afternoon, Miss Paige?"

"It's still about my dreams, sir."

"Still having them, I suppose."

"Yes sir, but now I'm having them in the day time."

Gold went around the counter. His leg made it difficult for him to kneel down to eye level with the child, but he was able to lean himself against the counter and lean over. "What do you mean?"

"It's not all the time, not every day. But sometimes. It's like I remember something that happened to me, but I don't think it really happened. There are too many things that are different from. . ." she struggled to explain herself, "from everyday." She paused. "Henry told me to tell you this part. It's like I'm remembering something that happened to me in a different life"

"Many people believe in that type of thing," he assured the child.

"There's more."

Gold waited.

"The man in my dreams that I kept seeing and thinking that he was my real father . . . "

"Yes."

"I've seen him. In real life. He came to the school this morning with a big bouquet of flowers. I heard some of the older kids talking that he had brought them for Ms. Dodgson. She teaches math for the high schoolers. She's really pretty and really nice," Paige elaborated.

"And you saw this man?"

"And he looks like the man in my dreams."

"Well, it is possible you saw him somewhere before and then he got worked into your dreams," Gold provided the obvious explanation.

"That's what I thought, but it doesn't _feel _that way." Paige never broke eye contact. "Is it, is it possible that . . . I don't know." She turned away.

"That you once lived a different life and this man _was_ your father?" Gold asked gently.

"Yes, yes, that's what I'm wondering. Do you think I need to go see Dr. Hopper?"

Gold took a breath. "I don't think so, Miss Paige. I don't think you're crazy. A crazy person would likely think that they were absolutely right. You are acting like someone who's having interesting dreams and is not quite sure where reality ends and dreams begin. I think it will all work out in due time."

"Do you think so? Really?"

"I do. Give it a little longer and come back and tell me how it's going."

Paige stood on tiptoe and gave him a quick hug. "Thank you so much. I like talking with you sometimes. It's not at all true what. . ." she caught herself. "You're always very nice to me. Thank you." She gave him a big smile and left the shop.

Gold watched her go. Had it been Fairyland and Before Emma, he would have likely made considerable effort to obtain that delightful, lovely child for himself, waiting until she was a bit older, for sure. With her latent talent, she would have done well as one of his "girls" and would have been one he would have taught magic, assuming she needed any instruction at that point. Her mother had not needed any instruction. Of course, her father would have vehemently objected and would have been an obstacle. But he had overcome far bigger obstacles than irate, magically-talented fathers.

He shrugged. But it was now and there was Emma. He would have to be content to bring her into his family as a daughter-in-law. She would certainly make Henry's life very interesting. He caught a flicker – there was someone. He shook his head. It was too hard to see here, too foggy, too unclear.

His last thought was of the flowers brought for Ms. Dodgson. Sounds like Jefferson had made some progress there. Finally. That boy could be rather slow when it came to the ladies.

Gold returned to finishing up the day in the pawn shop. Tomorrow was rent collection day and he wanted everything ready to go for the morning. Most people would be bringing their money by, but there were always a few that he would have to go after. He had about finished preparations when he heard his little bell on the door and looked up. It was the always very lovely Mary Margaret Blanchard.

"Yes, Miss Blanchard. Is there something I can do for you?" From too many years of experience he could tell there was something she wanted to discuss with him, something she wanted from him.

She hesitated. "It may be too late. I mean, it is about your closing time."

He smiled at her. _Emma had encouraged him to smile around people, but he often thought it actually made them feel less at ease around him. _"I certainly have time for you."

"Well," still hesitant, she began, "I know you know about my little newsletter."

His gaze darkened. That little newsletter had hit his reputation hard. He had not been happy when she published the story about all of his financial goings-on, particularly when they cast him in a favorable do-gooder light. He had been much, much happier when people were afraid of him, oh hell, when they were terrified of him. He had not forgotten that the story had been all Mary Margaret's doing.

"Yes," he replied, neutrally.

"Well, apparently, I've been taking away business from _The Daily Mirror._ They've had some cancellations and they want to buy me out."

"Very good. Sounds like you've been a market success." _What did she want from him? Advice? An attorney to go over the Agreement to Sell?_

"Well, I told them I didn't want to sell and they upped their initial offer. I told them 'no' again, and they upped their offer. . . again." She handed him a slip of paper. "This is what they are offering me."

Gold glanced at the figure. He would guess that it was easily more than ten times what Mary Margaret's little newsletter was worth. Someone really wanted to shut her down and was willing to pay for it.

"I think it is way more than what my little newsletter is worth," she told him.

He waited. _What was she leading up to?_

She still seemed nervous. _Well, a lot of people were nervous around him, especially when they were going to ask him for something. _

She hesitated, then took a breath. _He had always admired her courage as Snow White. She seemed about to show some of that backbone to him. _"I've spend the day researching what _The Daily Mirror_ is worth and I. . . I. . . " she took another deep breath. "I want to make them a counter-offer."

Gold stood a moment digesting what she had just told him and then gave her a slow smile.

"Ms. Blanchard. Will you come into my back room? We can sit down there and discuss business." He motioned for her to go ahead of him, leaning on his cane as he walked behind her.

_A.N. Hope everyone enjoyed the scarecrow. How much fun was he to write!_

_NEXT: Emma has an office to decorate_

_ The journey through Oz continues_

_ Mister makes new friends_

_ A business deal is revealed._


	23. Complaints

+ + + + + _Complaints and Concerns_

Gold didn't tell Emma about his late visitor. She was complaining about her day with all the meetings and Regina.

"Remember," he advised her. "Regina enjoys meetings. When you become mayor, you can make some changes in how business is conducted in this town."

This had not occurred to Emma. "You think?" She thought things through. "Yeah, there were some of this business that could have been handled in an email. I wasn't even sure why the mayor was involved at all in a couple of them. Maybe it's just been how Regina kept a finger on everything and everybody."

"Maybe," he agreed.

She paused, then added, "I met Sister Lillian this morning. She is very beautiful but whoa, she is not well wrapped."

Gold bit his lip. "She is rather anxious."

"She has textbook symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, almost to a dissociative state."

He nodded and said slowly, "I know that I damaged her, really damaged her. I can't go and take back what I did to her, Emma. And I know that saying 'I'm sorry' seems rather inadequate."

She sighed. "I'm afraid so. But, I don't know how to help her, though. She really needs to be in heavy therapy with Archie, but I don't think she even realizes it."

Gold came and put his arms around Emma. "I am trying to be nice to her. I _can_ be nice to her now that the compulsion to hurt her has subsided. I know that Giselle is also helping her as she can."

"I guess so. I don't know if anything would be served by having her remember what you did. I've read some of the newer studies and she may actually be better off repressing those memories."

"Perhaps, perhaps." He kissed his wife and just held her close. She hugged him back.

+ + + + + _The Dark One_

Emma woke up in the great bedroom. Well, it wasn't really waking up. It was that altered state of awareness. She looked around.

"Rumple, where are you?" she called out.

"Here, dearie." He was sitting in a far corner by the fireplace.

"Why did you bring me here tonight?"

He looked over at her. She could see that eerie red glint in his eyes.

"Actually you are the one who came here. I didn't bring you tonight."

"I brought myself here? I didn't even know I could do that. Why would I do that?"

"You tell me, Princess. You tell me."

Emma considered. She finally said, "It's something I've been wondering about. Rumple, Gold. He's possessed, isn't he?"

The creature looked long at her. "Yes, we exist together and complement each other. Rumple is at heart a kind, gentle man but one who had been driven to desperation over and over in his life. I gave him access to great power and it has been hard for him not to use it. But now, he wants to do good, Emma. He wants to be worthy of you and his children."

"Are you evil?" Emma asked.

"I can be used to do great evil. I have been used to do great evil, but I am simply great power."

"And he can't walk away from you?"

"No, I am forever a part of him, until someone kills him with the magic dagger."

Emma realized what had happened. "He _killed_ the last person with the power?"

The Dark One smiled at her. "He did."

"What happens if someone destroys the magic dagger?"

The Dark One sat for a moment. "I don't know. I don't know."

"You know I'm falling in love with him."

"Yes, and he with you."

+ + + + + _A New Traveling Companion_

It had been a damp night and somewhat uncomfortable, but Jefferson felt that the straw 'mattress' and lean-to cover was far better than what it could have been if they had had to spend the night in the open. He stretched, got up and promptly got the fire going again. He went down the same path he had followed the night before and found the stream to fill the pot with water. He thought that they could have more of the oatmeal with some apple pieces in it for breakfast. Ray had apparently wandered off sometime during the night and Jefferson doubted if they would see the empty-headed scarecrow again.

When he returned, he got the breakfast going. He heard Gingema stirring. She sat up and ran her fingers through her long, dark hair. _He really liked her long, dark hair. _Tousled and unkempt, she looked delicious. She smiled at him.

"Where is that water that the scarecrow mentioned? I could use a quick wash."

Jefferson pointed her in the right direction. She headed off in the direction he pointed and he busied himself with finishing up breakfast preparations. He was startled when he turned and found himself looking at an upside down Ray who was hanging with the top half of his body leaning over the edge of the roof of the lean-to. Jefferson nearly dropped the pot he was carrying. Apparently Ray had settled in for the night on the roof of the shelter. He swung himself down to the ground.

"Hullo," the scarecrow said. "You had pleasant night, better than sleeping in rain?"

Jefferson smiled at him. "Much better, thank you."

"You leave soon. Go off with beautiful lady?"

"I think so. We'll eat a little and go on."

"Where to? Where are you going?"

"She has an errand that I'm helping her with." Jefferson was evasive. Not that he didn't trust the scarecrow, but the creature seemed completely guileless and Jefferson assumed that anything he told the creature would likely be repeated to whoever might question him.

For herself, Gingema had had a successful errand. She had found the water and washed her face and neck. She pulled off her jacket and, as best she could, washed off her arms and chest. She hesitated a moment, then took off her silver shoes and then pulled off her striped stockings to wash her feet and legs in the cool water. She felt much better and redressed herself. She wished she had a comb for her hair but settled on pulling it back and twisting it on top of her head, twisting it around so that it held together more or less in a loose bun. She paused for a moment and looked around.

It was then she saw it, first as a sparkle amidst the trees. She looked closer. It was a shining statue. She cautiously walked over to it and saw that it was a man made of metal, frozen with his arm still holding his axe. He must have been out cutting wood and got caught in an unexpected downpour. She remembered that the scarecrow had mentioned a metal man who used the shelter they had borrowed for the night. This must be him and explained why the scarecrow had not seen him in a while.

"Sorry guy," she told him. "I'm afraid we've already picked up one stray and I don't need another." She curtsied and left, finding her way back up to the lean-to.

As she came back up to the shelter she saw the scarecrow sitting on the grass outside of the lean-to. She heard him say to Jefferson, "You are helping the beautiful lady. I can help her too."

She could see that Jefferson was smiling. He probably couldn't help himself, the creature did have his charm. "What can you do?" she heard Jefferson ask him.

"I know much about this land. I hear people talking all the time. I know where things are. Where food is. Where danger is. I can help. Take me with you."

"It may be dangerous, very dangerous, Ray. And if you go with us, who will guard the cornfield?"

The scarecrow looked dejected. "This is hard. I'm not very good as a scarecrow. I don't know if I will be good as a helper. I don't know if I will be good with danger. But I want to help."

Gingema let her presence be known at this point. "You're wanting to come with us?" She was shaking her head. "I don't know about this."

The scarecrow became very animated. "I know where you are going. I stand in my cornfield and I hear things, many things. Many different people, many different creatures come by. I know who you are." He turned to Gingema, "You are a princess and you go to the capital city to kill the evil wizard who has taken the throne from your family."

Jefferson and Gingema were surprised. _How had he figured this out?_

The scarecrow continued. "I know I am not smart, not smart at all. I think if I know this, many others who are much smarter than I, they will know it too. And I think if you go to the capital, if you knock on the door and they ask, 'why are you here?' and you say, 'I am here to kill the wizard,' I think, I think they will not let you in."

Gingema looked slightly chagrined. The idiot scarecrow actually had a point.

"But," he continued, "if I come with you and you knock on the door and they ask, 'why are you here?' and you say, 'I am here to get the great Wizard of Oz to help my friend. He has no brain.' I think, I think they might, they might let you in."

Jefferson was smiling. For someone with no brain, the scarecrow was brilliant. Gingema had not thought any further than getting them to the capital city. She had not thought how they were to get in, how they were to gain access to the wizard. The scarecrow had come up with a plan. He looked at Gingema and nodded.

"All right then. You can come with us," she agreed.

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you," the scarecrow did a couple of somersaults on the ground.

Jefferson looked hard at Gingema. "What did you do to your hair?"

"I couldn't wash it or comb it, so I just put it up."

"You don't have a comb?"

"Traveling very light, here," she responded.

"Then wait a moment," Jefferson picked up his hat and reached in. It took him only a moment and he was able to pull out a lovely comb which he graciously handed to Gingema.

Both Gingema and Ray were astonished.

"Did you have that in there all along?" Gingema asked him.

"It's magic!" Roy assessed it correctly, immediately. "It's magic!" Ray threw himself on the ground and groveled. "Oh Great Jefferson, please, please, do no harm to simple Ray! Please kind sir, don't turn me into a toad or anything unnatural, please, please."

Jefferson had to laugh. "I have no intention of harming you, Ray. That's not how the hat works anyway."

Ray sat back up. "You can reach in and get things from the hat? Anything? Anything?"

Jefferson shook his head. "It's not always reliable and I do have to be careful but, well, within reason, yes, I can."

Ray immediately began to pout. "So you could have gotten your own corn and didn't have to steal my corn."

"But your corn was so-ooo much better than anything I could have pulled through the hat. Much fresher, much tastier, much better," Jefferson assured him. Ray perked up.

"Could you pull through a weapon or only things small enough to fit in the hat?" Gingema was clearly considering possibilities.

"Size is irrelevant. If I can get a hand hold on it, it will come through. But sometimes other things come with it. And sometimes things that have come through don't work, or they don't work right, or they work differently. It's very chancy. I have to be very careful when I use it." He smiled at her, "I did think your need for a comb was worth the risks, Gingema."

As Ray sat on the ground, he looked suddenly looked up at Gingema. "You should not use your true name, my lady. People will recognize it. Let Jefferson name you with a different name."

Gingema couldn't help but smile. The scarecrow was right again. "You are correct, Jefferson, what is my new name?"

Jefferson considered.

+ + + + + _Mister makes new friends_

Henry and Paige had already discovered Mister, as they called Leroy's cat. They had seen him one afternoon after walking by the Sheriff's office on the way home from school. They had decided to stop in early one morning to see the big cat. He sat in the window seat, purred and rolled on his back for them to pet him.

Leroy warned them. "He's not been around children. I don't know how he'll behave. Watch yourselves."

"He's perfectly fine," Paige announced as she scratched the big guy's belly. He stretched and closed his eyes. "See, he likes me."

+ + + + + _Preparing to Move_

Emma knew it was time for her to begin to move into the mayor's office. Regina had removed her stark steel, black and white furniture and décor from the room. Emma recognized that she, herself, had no taste and had asked Mary Margaret for some suggestions. They stood inside the office, empty now except for a telephone sitting on the carpet along one side of the room.

"Well, the carpet is an acceptable neutral grey and the walls are white. What colors are you thinking?" Mary Margaret had asked her.

"I don't know. I've never decorated a room before," Emma was feeling as much at sea as she had felt when she'd had to pick out a wedding dress.

Mary Margaret caught the look of panic on her face and could see that Emma was getting overwhelmed. "OK, let's start with something easy. What are your favorite colors?"

"Uhm," Emma hesitated. "I guess, I like red."

"All right. Red will look nice with the grey carpet. Any furniture style that you like?"

Again Emma looked completely bewildered. "I guess I need a desk and a chair and some more chairs and some little tables and a couple of lamps."

"Those are types of furniture, dear, not a furniture style." Mary Margaret made a decision. "We are going to need help. We need someone with a sense of style and class and exquisite tastes."

Emma nodded in agreement, "Yeah, we need Gold."

Mary Margaret confessed something. "I'm not sure I'm quite ready to be meeting with your husband again after what he's done to me."

"What has he done now?" Emma had no idea there had been anything between the two. She had a nudge of alarm.

"He didn't tell you?" Mary Margaret walked around the empty office. "Well, I went to him for a loan. _The Daily Mirror_ had offered to buy out my little newsletter and I thought, why let that happen? I wanted to make them a counter offer and buy them out, instead. Of course, I couldn't get the money I needed from the bank, so . . . "

"You went to Gold," finished Emma. "Did he turn you down? Ask for twenty percent interest?"

"Much, much worse. He's agreed to come with me to meet with the stockholders. But he's not going to _lend_ me the money. In that instance, after I paid him back, he would be out of the picture. No, no, he's going to _invest_ the money with me. I won't have to pay it back, but he will earn dividends and always have a controlling interest in the company."

Emma had to smile. "This is how he's getting back at you, isn't it?"

"Oh yes. I'd much prefer that he just lent me the cash and I could look forward to the time I'd be out from under his thumb, but this way I'm stuck with him as a business partner forever and ever. And, if I'm successful, then he will have a controlling interest in the town newspaper."

"That does sound like him, for sure. He's not forgiven you for that story you published about how many people he's actually helped around town."

"Who would have thought that would have bothered him?" Mary Margaret's mind did not go along the dark, convoluted paths that Gold's followed. "I guess he liked people being afraid of him."

"Very much so," Emma agreed. She stood a moment and looked around the bare room. She had no idea what to do next. Mary Margaret was right. She needed help. "Well, I'm going to go see him about this room and see what he suggests."

Emma and Mary Margaret stopped by the Sheriff's office coming from the Mayor's office. Emma had wanted to check in with how things were going and Mary Margaret was there to entice David to go out to lunch with her. Mary Margaret was first to notice the big cat. He had no problems with her petting and talking to him like he was a big baby.

"He's beautiful, Leroy. I'd heard you'd rescued him as a kitten but I had no idea he'd gotten this big."

"He surprised me too, Mary Margaret. I had no idea I'd get so attached to him either, but he just kinda grew on me."

It was when Emma approached the cat that everyone was surprised. Mister drew up into a ball and backed himself into a corner of the window seat, like a frightened kitten. Emma waved this off, sat down next to him and began petting the cat. "Come on, fellow. You have to forgive me for all those times I dragged you out of trouble."

Leroy watched in amazement. "He seems almost afraid of you."

"Yeah, well, we've had some times together, haven't we Puss-Puss?" She talked to the cat like he was a person. "Remember that time you tried to hide in those brambles and I crawled in after you and got a hold on your leg and drug you out. I guess you didn't think I'd come in after you, but I did, didn't I? And then there was that time you tried to climb the tree and got stuck and I had to climb up after your little furry behind, pry your claws out of the bark and lug you back down. And then there was that other time, you had perched on the top of that high fence and I had to taking a running leap to get up there and grab you – you almost got away that time. Of course, I was pregnant at the time and had trouble making the jump."

Emma looked up to find everyone in the Sheriff's office was staring at her. "You just have to show him who's boss. If he thinks you're afraid of him, he's going to try to push you around. He's got to know you really care about him but you're not going to let him bully you." She gave the cat one last fur ruffle and shared, "Well, I don't know how much longer I can put it off. I've got to go get a favor from Gold. See you guys," and left the office.

Mary Margaret, David and Leroy all looked at each other.

"Wow, that gives me some insight into her relationship with Gold," Mary Margaret observed.

The two men agreed. "He is like a big, mean, predatory bully of a cat," said David.

"Show no fear. I always liked that girl," added Leroy

_NEXT: Jefferson, Gingema and the Scarecrow encounter something scary _

_ Emma asks a favor from Gold; Gold makes a deal with Emma_

_A.N. Only had a few reviews on the last chapter (didn't know if I sucked or if the new review format is throwing people off or if people are on vacation or just gosh darn busy). Still, here's hoping people are reading and enjoying. __Also, I have one name (came to me driving back from a trip to Ikea - yeah, Ikea) for Gingema, but would welcome suggestions. thx so much txm_


	24. Lions and Tigers and Bears

+ + + + + _Lions and Tigers (and Bears)_

"These woods, these woods, very, very, very dangerous," the scarecrow announced. He twirled around as he walked down the path, pointing all around them.

"Will Jenny do?" Jefferson had suggested the _nom de voyage _earlier that day_. _"It's close enough to Gingema that we should be able to remember to use it."

"It's lovely," Gingema agreed to it and Ray went dancing along side of the road, turning a few cartwheels.

"Jenny, Jenny, Jenny." They could hear him.

Gingema, as Jenny, sighed. "I guess it's ok with Ray," she said.

Jefferson sighed. "I guess so."

The trio continued walking under a dark canopy of trees. The trees leaned forward across the path as if they were trying to hinder their forward progress.

"Does something live in the woods that will come after us?" Jefferson asked.

"Oh yes, many things and the trees themselves, the trees will try to hurt you," the scarecrow replied.

"What things live here?" Jenny asked.

"Oh I don't know. Lions and tigers and bears," Ray responded.

"Lions and tigers and bears!" Jenny was surprised.

"So they say. Of course, I have never seen such and never heard about anybody who really, really has seen a lion or tiger or bear. They just talk about it," he elaborated.

They walked along in silence, hyper-vigilant, but hearing and seeing nothing alarming. It was about noon when Jefferson spotted another apple tree and stopped to pick a few to add to their meager food stores. He was astonished, despite his time in Wonderland where such things were commonplace, when the tree began to yell at him and telling him to quit picking his apples. Jefferson leaped back and began to quickly back away as the tree began to swirl its branches out at him, trying to hit him.

"Let it go, sir," the scarecrow told him. "That tree has bitter apples, not worth getting hurt over."

"My apples are not bitter, you ugly, scraggly scarecrow," the tree yelled back at him.

The scarecrow stood outside the reach of the trees branches and taunted him, waving his arms and dancing about. "You don't even have any worms in your apples, they are so nasty-tasting. Not even if they were stewed with sweet honey would they be edible."

The tree began to pull off its own apples and pelt the saucy scarecrow.

Jefferson and Jenny quickly began gathering up the apples and together, with the scarecrow, they ran off together laughing.

"That was very clever, Ray," complimented Jefferson.

Ray shook his head. "What! Oh no, I cannot be clever. I am not a good thinker at all. I just thought you two might be hungry."

"Do you not eat, Ray?" Jenny asked him.

"No, I just pack myself with straw when I can find it. Otherwise I get too skinny," he patted his stomach.

It was now late in the afternoon, Jefferson and Jenny both munching on apples as they walked along. They were all in a good mood and did not hear the low growls until it was too late.

A fierce lion leaped out in front of them.

Jefferson threw himself in front of Jenny and was surprised when the scarecrow quickly moved in front of him.

The lion roared and Jefferson could hear him say, "I'm going to eat you all."

Jenny sighed. She quickly moved to position herself in front of her two companion-champions.

"I don't think so," and she waved her hand. "I know a weakling when I see one. To attack a woman, an unarmed man and," she glanced at the scarecrow, "an idiot is not the act of a fierce beast. You sir lion, are a coward." With a wave of her hand, the lion almost folded up and pulled back from them. It yowled like a kitten and fled back into the woods.

The two males looked at their female companion in amazement.

In a small voice, Ray asked, "You can do magic too?"

She shrugged, "Well, I do have some magical talent. I don't get to use it very often, but it seemed like the right time."

Jefferson was smiling broadly. "My dear, you are a woman of some surprises."

"I must say," she turned to her companions, "that it's nice to know that I have two gentlemen who are willing to sacrifice themselves for my safety. I certainly won't be turning you into a toad," she addressed Ray and leaned over and kissed the scarecrow on the forehead. He pulled back and then somersaulted along the path in sheer glee. She then addressed Jefferson and said, "I certainly won't be turning you into a toad, either. She kissed Jefferson on the lips and gave him a gentle smile. He held her and didn't immediately release her.

"I want you to know how much I appreciate that, Jenny," Jefferson told her. He'd known enough women who had wanted to turn him into a toad.

The scarecrow vaulted up and came close to the couple. "I say, it's nice to know that you have magic too, Jenny-Jenny. But there are other things in this forest and it would be good, it would be good to get through it as soon as possible. I don't know, I don't know, I don't know how powerful you are, but there could be worse than the lion lurking here."

Jefferson was reluctant to release Jenny, but realized the scarecrow was probably correct in his assessment. "Yes, he's right, let's get through this forest before nightfall."

He was able to continue to hold her hand as they walked on down the yellow brick road.

+ + + + + _Asking for a Favor_

Emma was not quite as confident with managing her husband, including asking favors from him, as her friends would believe she was. She had gone back to the Mayor's office and taken some measurements and, sitting on the floor, reviewed her schedule for the following day. She then decided to stop by the Diner and fortify herself with a late lunch and, as an after-thought, a couple of quick shots of tequila before going on to Gold's shop. By this time it was late afternoon. She made her way to his shop feeling warm and not a little tipsy from the tequila.

"I need help, darling," she said as soon as she came through the door.

"Yes dear." Gold was a little alarmed. Emma did not often ask for help. And when she did, she was typically desperate or close to desperation.

"I have to decorate my new office."

"And?" _And? So? What?_

"I don't know what to do," she wailed. "This is as bad as when you made me go and pick out a wedding dress. I am completely in over my head. I don't even know where to start. I don't know what I'm supposed to do," she stood with her head down and shoulders slumped.

Gold quickly understood that his brave Emma was near tears and walked around the counter to comfort her.

Tears started to flow. "I don't know why this type of thing is so hard for me. I can do so many things so well, but picking out dresses and decorating rooms – I just don't know what to do. And I feel stupid and the salespeople intimidate me and make me feel stupid and I can't decide and I don't know what to do. . . and I feel stupid."

She noticed he was looking at her strangely. "No, I'm not pregnant again. I promise you."

"I never thought any such thing," he murmured.

"Yes, you did." She pointed to her head, "Super-power. And I know I got a little moody and sometimes crazy weepy when I was pregnant."

"OK, I did wonder," he admitted. "Now, please tell me about this office you have to redecorate." She was leaning into him, warmly nestling against him in a very comfortable position _for both of them_.

"It's the mayor's office," she explained, still crying. "Regina moved all her crap out of there and I've been left with four white walls and a grey carpet. I want to have something that looks good, actually I want it to look really, really good, even classy, but I don't know what to do."

Gold was smiling, but trying not to let her see. "I think I can help with this. I know this particular office only too well. You will want a lady desk with a suitable chair. You will need some additional chairs for small groups that may want to meet in your office. Probably some occasional tables. I think I can select a style for you and get you some appropriate furniture. I'll be looking at some antiques. Will that be acceptable?" He raised her chin with one hand so that she would look at him.

Emma sniffed, then leaned in and wiped her drippy nose on his suit lapel. "Sure, dat sounds pretty. Whut's a lady desk?"

"An office desk that has been scaled down slightly for a woman, usually with some delicate detailing. They are considered elegant and refined but are still appropriate for a woman in an authority position."

Emma sniffed again, and this time, before she could use his clothes to effect some nasal hygiene, he pulled out his silk handkerchief and handed it to her. She blew her nose on it. "Dat sounds good," she told him.

He pulled her hair out of her eyes, "I'm glad I could help. I'll get to work on it."

Emma put her arms around him and kissed him. "I'b so lucky. You're so dice to me. Add you sbell really, really good." Emma licked him on the neck, relishing the cinnamon scent that was wafting over her as she snuggled against him.

He didn't stop her from nuzzling him, but he had to remind her, "Of course, there will be a price to pay."

He heard Emma groan into his shoulder. "Whut are you going to want?"

He had entwined his fingers into her hair and pulled her head back to look in her eyes again. "What do you think, my dear?"

She gave out a big sigh and another big sniffle. "I was dinking I could offer you sex," she said hopefully.

He smiled at her and shook his head. "Now dear, it's not much of a bargaining chip to offer something you're already providing."

"Yeah, I thought you bight say subthig like dat." She sniffed again, her nose still quite stuffed up. "OK, how 'bout a dress?"

"_A_ dress?" he questioned.

"Sub dresses?" she countered.

"How about you wear at least five dresses during any one week?"

"Five!" she tried to pull back, but he held her closely. "I was dinking, baybe, one dress a week."

"One? One is what you are offering?" This close he couldn't help but catch her lovely vanilla scent. It was. . . distracting. "Shall we do the entire dance or just the big finish here?"

Emma made a face at him. "OK. Three it is. How long do I have to wear the dab things?"

"Very good, dear. Going after those little details that make a contract. We'll work out something you can live with. I will suggest you start with that little floral number you wore several months ago. Beginning tomorrow." He added in a soft voice, "I have fond feelings for that particular dress," and experienced a sense of satisfaction at seeing his lovely wife blush. "I suggest we go to that nice little dress shop I'd sent you to awhile ago and get some more, both day dresses and some that would be suitable for a night out. Our children are old enough now that we can afford to take the occasional night out, what is it they call it, a 'date night'?"

He gave her a sound kissing and then asked, "Have you been drinking?" he thought he had tasted tequila.

"Yes I have," she admitted. "And dat's a good idea for both of us. Let's go to the Diner. I've had a hard week. You probably had a hard week. Let's get a drink or five."

Gold shook his head. "We have children that need to be seen to."

"Oh yeah. I for-get-ted." She blew her nose one more time and stuffed the sodden handkerchief back into his lapel pocket.

_Slattern. _He closed his eyes for a moment before responding. "Come, my sweet. I'll help you get home. Ashley will be waiting with the baby and she will want to get back to her own home. And Henry will be coming home soon from Paige's house."

"Oh yeah. Well then, can we do a quickie here in the back of your shop?"

Gold considered his options. As tempting as it was, it was probably not the best idea to take his somewhat inebriated wife back to the workroom. That type of thing tended to get messy. He opted to kiss her again very thoroughly and guided her out of the shop. He managed to prop her against the shop window while he locked up and then took her arm to walk her back home. He would have all night to entertain his bride.

+ + + + + _Regina Takes a Seat_

Regina had dropped by the Sheriff's office with the agenda for Emma for the following week. She sat in the window seat and chatted with David.

"I heard you had hired a new deputy. Who did you pick?" she asked the acting sheriff.

"It wasn't an easy choice, Ms. Mills. I had a lot of great candidates," he answered, glancing up from the ever present paperwork.

"I'm sure you did." She was all smiles and cooperation.

"Yeah, I picked somebody who had some experience and who I felt I could depend upon in an emergency." David began to understand while so many people were uncomfortable around Regina. Nothing warm and fuzzy here.

"I'm curious, who did you pick?" She was determined to find out.

"Leroy," David said, watching Regina's face.

"You are kidding! He was your best choice? Did Emma approve of your choice?" Regina was plainly astonished.

"She told me it was my choice and she would support me in whatever decision I made," David accurately reported the conversation he had had with Emma.

"Well, put a lock on the liquor cabinet and be prepared to work evenings alone." Regina dropped the agenda off onto David's desk. "Pass this on to Emma, please."

As Regina walked out of the office, she passed Leroy. He held the door for her and watched her walk away. She didn't speak to him or acknowledge his presence.

"I take it she sat in Mister's place on the window seat." Leroy said after Regina had walked on down the street.

"Yeah, how did you know?" asked David.

"Cat hairs all over her ass," responded Leroy. "Where is the big guy?"

"I guess he sensed her coming. I saw him streak out of here and right into the file room just before she came in."

Leroy nodded, went into the file room and brought out Mister. "Smart kitty. The bad lady's gone now, Mister. You're going to be all right," he said soothingly to the big cat. He set him back down on the window seat and watched the animal settle back into his place.

_NEXT: Ray gives advice_

_ Emma keeps her bargain_

_ Paige makes a move _

_A.N. I want to thank Ying-Fa-dono, Detafo and SakuraBlossom58 for their name suggestions for Gingema. I decided to go with a simplified version of Gingema's name (rather than Elpheba or Dorothy or anything else). And there were also two very nice Anonymous reviewers that I, of course, couldn't get back to but, nonetheless, appreciated their comments. _

_Anybody getting any vibes about Ray?_

_Going in tomorrow (July 4__th__) for another infusion (this is eleven for me). They're telling me this one (which is different from the others I've had) should only be about three hours (not six) but the side effects (only one in three have any- which are great odds for some of the things I've been through) typically include flu-like symptoms, including fever. What I dread is the IV insertion. I will be tanked up on Benadryl and Lorazepam so I'll be (mostly) out it. Would appreciate everybody's good thoughts and encouragement (and of course, please, any feedback on the current storyline). Thx so much everybody. As ever, hope you're enjoying the story. txm _


	25. Happy, Not Happy

A.N. Survived the latest infusion (hopefully will be free and clear of this type of treatment until the end of the year).

These next chapters focus a lot on Jefferson, Jenny and Ray. Hope everyone enjoys. Txm

+ + + + + _Happy, Not Happy_

At everyone's request, Jefferson had reluctantly pulled some items to help them spend the night, including a tent, some blankets and some cheese and bread. They were on the fringes of the forest, so he was easily able to gather wood enough for a fire. The road immediately led down from the forest, melting away into a valley. Ray continued to wander around outside of their shelter, muttering to himself, occasionally doing a somersault, occasionally losing straw, and then, occasionally, stopping to pick up some of the lost straw to re-stuff himself. Jefferson and Jenny ate cheese sandwiches with freshly gathered greens and then had apples (yet again) for dessert. It was only a little cool but enough that the two huddled next to each other, sharing body heat.

"Soon, soon enough," Ray abruptly said cryptically. He had rejoined them, sitting next to Jenny.

"What do you mean?" Jefferson asked him.

"Soon, we will be at the Poppy Fields. We will need magic to cross. They make breathers sleepy. Very sleepy. Fall asleep. Don't wake up."

"What is this?" Jenny asked.

"Poppy Fields," Ray explained again patiently. "Make you sleepy if you aren't careful."

"Like a spell?"

"Don't know if it's a spell or. . . just the poppies," Ray shrugged.

"What can we do?" Jefferson asked. "Any way to go around the field?"

Ray shook his head, "Would take long time, very long time."

Jenny considered. "Do you know how high the effects of the Poppy Fields reach?" she asked Ray.

"Not too high, not too high. Birds fly over, birds fly over," explained Ray.

"Then one of my sisters, not that bitch Glenda, might, just might, be willing and able to help," said Jenny. "I will call upon her when we get to the edge of the field."

"Very good, very good," they heard Ray say as he began to roll himself around on the ground, sometimes stopping to gaze up at the night sky and stuff odd pieces of grass into his sleeves or shirt. He rolled himself down the hill and out of sight.

Jefferson and Jenny sat for a while without talking. The quiet was comfortable and comforting. When they did begin talking, they began at the same time. They laughed and Jefferson motioned for Jenny to go first.

"This is a little awkward, Jefferson. Do you have a woman in your life? Someone that you care about?" Jenny did not make eye contact with him, hanging her head, shyly.

"There is no one," he told her. "Is there anyone in your life?" he asked her.

"No one," she responded and then said slowly, "Then I must tell you, Jefferson, I like you. I like you a lot. And I would like to be close to you, but I don't know how you feel."

"I like you too. I like you a lot. You are one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen."

Jenny glanced up at him. "I've never had anyone tell me they liked me before, Jefferson. I have never been told that I am beautiful."

"You are incredibly beautiful, Jenny. I've never met anyone like you."

"You don't think I'm . . . odd-looking?"

"You are amazing looking. I've never met anyone who looks like you. I think you're exotic and fascinating."

Jenny looked astonished. "You do?"

Jefferson didn't respond. Instead, he leaned in and gently raised her face to his, kissing her mouth. When he felt her responding, he wrapped his arms around her and deepened the kiss. She seemed so trusting, so innocent. . .

He suddenly realized something. "Jenny, you've not been with anyone before, have you?"

"No one ever found me attractive or desirable," she confessed. "Two of my sisters, yes, they have had several relationships. My other sister, she looks like me and no one has liked her either."

Jefferson hesitated. "I. . I need to go more slowly, dear. If you aren't experienced, I want to be sure that. . . you are sure."

"Why wouldn't I be sure? What are you waiting for?"

"Jenny, Jenny, if I'm the first man who ever paid you any attention, well, then you would likely be very flattered and very vulnerable. It would be easy for me to take advantage of you."

"But I want this," she tried to assure him.

"I need to be sure you want me, and not just because I'm being nice to you. I'm not going anywhere. I promise you. If you still feel like this after we get to the capital city, then, I think, I will be comfortable. . . proceeding."

Jenny hung her head. "So, you're being a gentleman?"

"Trying to be, but you are making it very hard. Very, very hard," he confessed.

He was, indeed, uncomfortable but not about to pounce on the little sorceress just for physical gratification. He'd had some previous experience with sorceresses and knew they were not to be trifled with. He very much wanted her to be committed to a relationship, not just curious. He kissed her once more and she reluctantly retired to the tent and curled up to sleep.

Jefferson sat quietly watching the night sky. He thought he could just see a dim green glow across the horizon in the direction they were heading.

Ray was suddenly sitting next to him. He had quite the habit of popping up and then just disappearing for brief periods. Jefferson was not quite how sure the strange creature managed it, but he certainly did.

"I am a stupid creature, Jefferson. I think when I see you and Jenny-Jenny together," he put his two fore-fingers together "Happy." He then spread the two fingers apart, spreading his arms "Not together, not happy." He repeated the actions, repeating the words, "Happy, not happy, happy, not happy"

Jefferson shook his head. "It's not that simple, Ray. It's complicated."

Ray looked at him, the brown eyes appearing to briefly glint red in the moonlight. He held his fingers together, "Simple." He then spread the two fingers apart, spreading his arms "Complicated." He repeated the actions, "Simple, Complicated."

He looked back at Jefferson.

Jefferson was struggling. "Ray, it's hard for me to explain. I want her to feel comfortable, to feel good about this."

Ray again looked at him, putting his fingers together, "Feel good," He took them apart "Feel bad. Good, bad, good, bad. She likes you, a lot, and you aren't with her." His tone suddenly became more serious and he spoke in a quieter tone, "What has to change before you can be with her, Jefferson? What has to change?"

Jefferson sat quietly a moment while the scarecrow went back and forth with his fingers, murmuring, "Simple, complicated, happy, not happy, good, bad" over and over.

Jefferson finally stood, smiling. "I'm taking relationship advice from a 'stupid creature'." He patted Ray on the shoulder, turned and went inside the tent.

He didn't see the scarecrow shake his head nor hear him say quietly to himself, "That boy is rather slow when it comes to the ladies."

+ + + + + _Dress Shopping_

Emma had kept to her agreement and was wearing the little floral dress that she had worn so long ago. It was the same one that she had been wearing when her future husband had locked her in a dungeon room while he went and had a particularly ugly confrontation with Regina. At that time, Emma had been furious and almost left him and would have left him, had he not played his devil hand and enticed her to continue with him by promising to get Henry back for her. She was dreading what was to come next. She honestly thought that she would rather fight a dragon than deal with what was coming up.

She was having to go dress shopping.

And she was having to go with her husband.

As they had on her previous shopping occasion, the dress shop ladies treated Gold like he was some visiting king, seating him in a special chair and bringing him tea. Knowing his tastes, they had made some preliminary choices for her.

"Sure," she had agreed, _anything that would make this less stressful. _

Gold had actually supervised her underwear choice for the operation.

"Not too slutty, as much as I appreciate how your tastes run. Something smooth and simple that won't detract from the lines of the dresses." As she rummaged through the drawer in the dresser he had set aside for her dainties, he also added. "Oh and please, let the bra and panties match."

She had glared at him but allowed herself to be thoroughly trussed up and then, surreptitiously, armoured herself with a glass of tequila before she left the house, Emma then began, what was for her, the arduous process of trying dresses on. _It. went. on. for. ever_.

At the advice of Gold and the saleswoman, she put aside a simple black dress that she was told that every woman _must_ have in her wardrobe. She also found several dresses in solid colors that Gold approved of and two that were clearly dressy dresses, something he assured her would be appropriate for wearing out in the evening.

At one point she glanced at a price tag of one of the dresses, _four hundred and eighty-six dollars! _One of these dresses was worth more than her entire wardrobe _excepting that wedding dress, which was worth more than everything she owned in the world. . . ten times over. _She hesitated but caught her husband during a moment when the saleswoman had left them alone.

"Do you know how much these dresses are costing?" she asked him.

He seemed surprised at her question. "Of course I do, my dear. Most are in the low to mid three figure range, the evening wear dresses are running higher but most are still below four figures. Are you worried about spending my money?"

She thought a moment. "I know you have the money. I guess what worries me is that you're spending it on _me._"

He understood. "And you don't think you are worth it. You don't think you are worth someone spending money on. Please, come here,"

Emma came and stood next to him and, at his signal, sat in his lap.

"Please understand several things. First, I like to do nice things for you, that includes spending money on you. Second, I like looking at you. When you wear beautiful clothes, it just puts you in a proper setting, like a fine diamond set into gold. Third," he ran his hand up her thigh and gave her his slow smile. "Well, I think you can figure out the third reason why I like putting you in these nice dresses."

The saleswoman came back into the room at that point, carrying some additional items. Emma found herself blushing and scooted off her husband's lap. He held onto her hand.

"Emma, it's all right," he reassured her.

With some hesitation, but, again, at his urging, she also tried on a couple of simple but high quality, skirted suits that the saleswoman had paired with, what she was told, were stylish blouses. In all she ended up with eight dresses, which was two fewer than Gold had wanted her to get, but three more than she ever thought she'd end up with. Gold also paid for three of the suits which he told her she would need when doing official mayor business.

It got worse. Emma was told she would need to buy shoes that coordinated with the outfits and, _oh lord, let this be over soon, _pocketbooks.

The saleswoman assured her that now she had an idea of the style that Ms. Gold _more like Mr. Gold_ preferred, that she would keep her eye out and would give Ms. Gold a call when she had some additional dresses for her to look at.

_Great._ _Would this never end? _

+ + + + + _A Call for Help_

Jenny was quiet the following morning. She kept smiling at Jefferson and touching him, his hand, his arm, his back.

"Are you all right?" Jefferson had asked her in a low voice. He knew he felt great. Really, really, really great.

"I've never been better," she assured him. "It was wonderful. You were wonderful."

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" he asked with great concern.

"Not at all," she smiled at him. "I've never felt better, and." She ducked her head, "I'm hoping we can get together again, really soon."

Jefferson wanted to believe her. For himself, he had had little experience with women with no experience. He had tried hard to show her every consideration, taking his time, making sure she experienced something that appeared to be pleasure before breeching her. She had briefly clung to him, keeping her eyes closed but had seemed to relax after a moment. He kept whispering to her how beautiful she was, how desirable. He was genuinely honored that she had chosen him to be her first and he wanted her to know that he treasured his time with her.

After a quick breakfast of bread and apples, they were back on the road.

Ray had popped back up. He seemed to have made himself scarce during the night, respecting the privacy of the young couple. He brought his two fingers together and briefly caught Jefferson's eye. He tilted his head, waiting for a response.

Jefferson nearly laughed but then he brought his two fingers together and smiled at the irrepressible scarecrow.

Jenny caught the interchange. "What was that about?"

Jefferson confessed. "I took relationship advice from our dear scarecrow. I think he may very well be the wisest one in our group."

Jenny laughed. "Should I offer him thanks?"

"Probably, he was the one who encouraged me to take what you were offering and be happy about it."

"Well, I guess I do owe him thanks then," she replied. And she caught the scarecrow by the hands, spun him around and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, thank you."

As always, Ray seemed enormously pleased by her attention. This time, instead of his usual somersaulting, he gave her a flourish with one arm followed by a gracious bow. "Jenny-Jenny, anything I can do to be of service."

The trio walked on together.

Before noon, they had arrived at the edge of the poppy field. They could see the capital city in the distance. It was surrounded in an odd green haze – the wizard's magic, explained Jenny. Jefferson recognized it as the odd greenish hue he had seen in the sky the night before. It was beautiful in an eerie way.

"It looks like your very beautiful eyes, Jenny-Jenny," the scarecrow commented. "Like big green emeralds. We should call it the Emerald City."

Not to be outdone by the scarecrow, Jefferson agreed, "It does match your beautiful eyes."

The scarecrow was dancing around. "You and you cannot walk across this field," he explained to Jefferson and Jenny. "You would fall asleep and never wake up. Not good, not good. Oh no, oh no. What to do? What to do?"

"I will call on my sister. Bastinda. She may have a way that will allow us to get over the field. I will need a mirror. Can you help with that, Jefferson, please?"

He nodded and reached into his hat and pulled out a mid-sized round mirror, little more than the breadth of his hand. "Will this suit, my lady?"

She looked it over, "Yes, it's exactly right."

Jefferson and Ray watched as Jenny bowed her head over the mirror. She called her sister's name and slowly a fog seemed to rise in the mirror.

"Gingema?" They could discern a faint figure in the fog.

"Bastinda," Jenny replied.

"Yes, where are you little sister?"

"On my errand," Jenny responded. "We need your help. We have to get across a field with a sleep spell on it and we could use your monkeys."

"Interesting," came the response. There was a delay before she asked, "What will you give me for my help?"

"Should I be successful, I will cede to you the territory of the Winkies. If I fail, it will not matter and you may have all my territory" she paused, "and my shoes."

The response was instantaneous. "Done sister. I shall send you the monkeys. They will arrive momentarily."

The fog faded.

Jenny fell back into Jefferson's arms. "That, she managed to gasp out, "is harder than it looks,"

Ray was the one who spoke up. "What is going to happen now, beautiful Jenny-Jenny?"

"Flying Monkeys," Jenny whispered. "They serve my sister and will be able to carry us across the field. They should be here any moment and we'll be at the gates of the capital shortly."

"Then what?" asked Jefferson.

"We ask to be let in," she replied shortly.

+ + + + + _Paige Makes a Move_

Paige had begun to notice the tall man more and more. There had been that one time at school, but now she would often think that she was seeing him behind her. Sometimes she felt as if he might be watching her. She had not told Henry because he thought he would worry. She had not told Gold because she didn't want to bother him.

She kept having the dreams. And there were more and more episodes that were no longer dreams, but came to her like memories. She remembered a kind, loving relationship, a father who would do anything for her, who wanted her to be happy.

She also remembered a name.

_Grace._

She noticed he often seemed to be there when she was alone. Curiously she never felt threatened. Quite the opposite, she felt comfortable and secure, as if this man was watching over her to make sure nothing happened to her.

She knew he was keeping company with Ms. Dodgson and tried to figure out how she might be able to talk with him without arousing any suspicions or just looking plain crazy.

She quickly realized that it was very difficult to try to follow somebody who might actually be following you. She decided to keep to a pattern for several days: first there was school, then the walk home by way of the Sheriff's Office where she would stop in and pet Mister, then by the Pawn Shop, not going in, but stopping to wave at Mr. Gold (_who would often smile and wave back at her)_, and then finally home. After several days of this she tried something different.

It was after she turned the corner by the Pawn Shop. She usually kept walking until she got home, but this day, she stopped and leaned against the wall, waiting, waiting.

It was soon enough. The man came around the corner. He saw her and stopped dead in his tracks, not recovering quickly enough to make the encounter look like any chance occurrence that might take place between any two denizens of the Storybrooke.

"Hello," Paige said to him smiling. "I think you're the gentleman who's been dating Ms. Dodgson at my school." She had practiced what she would say when she finally made contact with him.

Jefferson hesitated. It was just too late to ignore the child and pretend he hadn't seen her. But neither did he want to engage in any conversations with her.

Paige kept smiling. She looked him square in the eye. "They call me Paige, but my name is Grace."

The man turned white and looked as if he was going to fall down. "No, you aren't supposed to. . . You shouldn't be able to. . . You can't. . ."

Paige was afraid she had done something to traumatize the man. He seemed completely off balance. _She was right, she knew she had been right about him, about her memories._

He finally framed a complete question. "How much do you remember?"

"I know that you're my father. That you love me very much." She was surprised to see that the man was crying. He reached down and pulled her to him, hugging her.

"I did not want you to remember. It's too soon. How is it that you can do this?"

"It started with dreams. Now I seem to have these thoughts all the time."

The man continued to hug her. He had still had tears in his eyes. "I only wanted to give you a better life. I made a stupid, stupid agreement with a very evil lady. And I've paid, paid dearly and for a long time. Please, Grace, can you ever forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive, daddy. I'm so glad to have you back. I so glad to be back with you."

_NEXT: Lillian (aka The Lilac Fairy) remembers_

_ Flying Monkeys (what more needs saying?)_

_ Gold helps Mary Margaret broker a deal_


	26. Chapter 26

+ + + + + _Remembering_

Emma had come by the Pawn Shop early Thursday morning and sure enough, saw Sister Lillian diligently working on the flower garden. She was dead-heading flowers, picking out stray weeds, generally attending to overall appearance of the flower bed.

"Hello, Sister Lillian," Emma greeted her.

"Sheriff Gold or is it Mayor Gold?," the little nun greeted her with a small smile.

"Sheriff for the moment. This flower bed gets prettier every week,"

"Thank you," Lillian did not turn to look at her, actually appearing quite uncomfortable with Emma, with the conversation, with where she was.

"Listen, just so you know. Gold had told me that after the bee sting he couldn't get you any ice, so I've had him put a small fridge in his workroom. He'd been set up with a hot pot to heat up water for his tea but nothing to chill anything. I guess it's the Brit part of him."

"Thank you, but I doubt there will be a repeat of the bee sting. I'm hoping that was a one-time occurrence."

"I hope so too," Emma replied.

"Sheriff," Lillian seemed very reluctant.

"Yes, Sister."

"You've said that Gold has not told you anything about me."

"That's right," Emma lied through her teeth. "Please, call me Emma."

"I don't know that you will want me to, after. . . after I've told you what I need to tell you."

"Whatever could you have to tell me that would make me feel that way?"

"Well," Lillian stood. "After I had begun on the garden, I began to have disturbing dreams, violent dreams, strange dreams that involved . . . your husband."

"Really?" _Where was this leading?_

"I confessed this to your husband and told him that I felt that somehow, some time I had caused him great grief and I begged his forgiveness. Silly, very silly, I know, but he was gracious enough to grant it. I was so relieved," Lillian was obviously having difficulties continuing her story, "I gave him a very little kiss on his cheek." She looked down at her feet. "It was very bad of me, I know. Please, please forgive me."

Emma thought_ that was it? _"Lillian, many women kiss my husband, some of them are not little kisses, some are not on the cheek and some of these women rub themselves against him like a cat in heee. . . like an affectionate cat," she finished.

"You aren't angry with me?"

"Not unless you plan to make a habit of it."

"Oh no, it was a silly impulse. I was just so grateful. And I have slept better since I got his forgiveness. "

"Hey, I know you've been working hard. His isn't the first garden you get to in the morning. Why don't you come in and get a soft drink. I've got a stash put away in that little fridge."

Lillian hesitated. "Is. . . is Mr. Gold here yet?"

"No, he's dropping Henry off at school this morning and the baby with Ms. Ashley. He'll be in shortly."

"It would be all right then, I guess, for me to come in."

The two women entered the empty pawn shop. Emma turned on the light._ He kept the place so darn gloomy. Maybe she should get some track lighting installed or floor lamps or something. _

"It's in the back room," she led Lillian through the back curtain into the workroom.

"I've never been in this part of the shop before."

"It's amazing," Emma shared. "There are so many incredible things back here. Some he's working on before he puts them out in the shop. There's neat stuff and junk and stinky stuff. A lot of the stuff back here I think he's probably forgotten about," she opened the fridge. "Cola, lemon-lime, or ginger ale?"

"Lemon-lime, please," Lillian took the can and began to look around. "There are so many things here."

"Absolutely," Emma agreed.

Lillian began to idly open boxes and gingerly look over some of the things sitting on the table and the shelves.

Emma began to open stray boxes herself. So much interesting stuff, most of it appeared to be junk, but every so often there would be something of obvious value tucked away, a tiara, a red velvet cloak, silvery shoes, etc.

"What is this?" Lillian asked. She had found a box on a shelf. It was half-opened and something golden gleaned from inside. "Would he mind if I looked inside?" she asked.

Emma was oblivious. "Nah, Paige and Henry come in here all the time and poke around. As long as you don't start climbing the shelves or pulling stuff down on top of you, you should be fine."

Lillian pulled a length of chain from the box. It was connected to a golden collar. "This is interesting. Is it meant to be jewelry?"

Emma glanced over and caught her breath. "That looks like one of the antiques that he picked up. He has some really odd pieces," Emma moved in to replace the gold collar and chain, about to take it away from Lillian but saw that the little nun had frozen in place.

Very slowly, Lillian began, "This is meant to be worn around someone's neck. It's worn around the neck of someone who is viewed as property, like a slave. I know this piece. I've seen. . ." she stood absolutely still. Emma waited, still holding her breath.

"It's been around _my_ neck. I remember. I remember. Your husband, Emma, your husband. . ." Lillian looked at Emma. "I have to go." She turned and quickly left the backroom and was making her way out the store just as Gold came through the front door.

Lillian stopped to look at him. He could immediately tell that there was something different about the little nun. "You have no power here," she told him. "You cannot hold me. You cannot hurt me." She carefully stepped around him and out the door.

Emma stood in the curtained doorway. "I took her back here to get a drink and she found a box with a golden collar with an attached chain. What the hell were you doing with something like that just sitting in a box right out there where anyone could open it? She identified it as having been around her neck and said that she remembered."

Gold closed his eyes and rubbed his head. "I've been meaning to put it away but just hadn't gotten around to it. I didn't know you were going to take her back there." He took a breath. "She seems more pissed than traumatized."

"Yeah. I guess we could be hearing something soon. Isn't Sister Giselle your contact at the convent?"

Gold nodded, "She is."

"You may want to give her a call and give her a heads-up."

+ + + + + _Flight_

Jefferson could hear Ray screaming as several monkeys lifted him and carried him across the poppy field. Ray had tried to insist that he would be able to walk across the field, but Jenny had been as equally determined that he stay with herself and Jefferson and cross with the monkeys.

Jefferson would have to agree with the scarecrow that the ride was not comfortable, but, at the same time, he found the flying experience exhilarating. He could see Jenny's face and could tell that she also was finding the ride more exciting than terrifying.

He glanced over at Ray again. The scarecrow was still screaming. He kept losing straw. Poor thing. Maybe he had good reason for resisting the flight. Of course, him thrashing about and trying to hit at the monkeys didn't help his plight.

The passage wasn't long. The poppy field only stretched maybe a quarter of a mile. The monkeys dropped to ground, still some distance from the city. They released the three and, without further contact, they lifted off and flew away.

Ray had collapsed.

Jenny rushed over and was trying to attend to him, but he was moaning, "Too skinny, too skinny." He had indeed lost much of his straw. She looked over at Jefferson.

"Do you think it would be possible to pull some straw out of that hat of yours? I don't think he's going to pull through without it."

Jefferson nodded in agreement. "I'll give it a try," and reached in.

His first attempt yielded odd results. He brought out strand after strand of a soft, thin golden thread.

Jenny was at his elbow and was examining the thread, "That looks like real gold. I've never seen anything like it. It looks like it's been spun. Why would you get gold thread when you were thinking straw?"

"I have no idea. I was thinking 'straw for the scarecrow' and this is what came out," Jefferson was shaking his head. "I told you the hat is unreliable. I'll just think 'straw' this time."

The second effort was successful and Jefferson ended up pulling out what initially appeared to be a small bale of hay that, once freed of the hat, became a full-sized bale. He and Jenny began rapidly re-stuffing the scarecrow, mostly with the straw, but sometimes with the soft golden thread.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you," Ray was effusive in his appreciation. "Now I can move. Now I can sit up. Now I can walk. Now I can dance," and he sprang up, grabbed Jenny and did a round of dance steps with her. They all ended up laughing.

Reluctantly, the three looked at each other and began the final leg of their trip to the gates of the green capital city, the Emerald City.

+ + + + + _Severing Ties_

Sister Lillian was sitting alone in one of the convent gardens. She had been sitting there on a wooden bench for several hours. She had felt alternately like crying and then, like screaming.

It was Sister Giselle who found her. "Lillian, are you all right? You seem upset."

Lillian looked closely at the other nun. For a long time she just stared and said nothing. Finally she spoke in a low quiet voice, "You knew, didn't you? You knew. You knew what he had done to me. You knew what he was, what he is. And you did nothing."

Giselle didn't respond right away. She sat next to Lillian on the bench. "The man has great power in this world and has held the rights to our home over our heads. And I have only just begun to remember myself, Lillian. I remembered what he had done to you, but I also remembered what we had done to him. You suffered greatly, but you're still here. But the man's son is still gone."

"I'm only still here, because he didn't want me to die. I would beg him to kill me. I would try to kill myself, but he always stopped me and then he would punish me. He would punish me, sometimes in ways that caused great pain, breaking my bones, rupturing internal organs. Then he would heal me. And sometimes he would begin again."

She wiped away tears and continued, "The worst was when he would punish me in ways that caused great pleasure, forcing me to respond to his touch. He particularly liked me to beg him not to stop, but sometimes he would. . . stop." She took a deep breath and went on. "He used me sexually in every way a man can use a woman. This went on for years and years. I don't know how long he kept me alive and bent me to his will."

Giselle made no response.

"He liked to humiliate me in front of others, parading me as his slave, his obedient, compliant slave. And I was that, I was so that. Anything to avoid punishment." She had large tears flowing down her face. "I wanted so badly to die, but he wouldn't allow it, he would not allow it. I dared not consider killing him, but I wanted him to die too."

"Of course you did, Lillian. What he did, all that he did, were atrocities."

"But has he been punished? Will he be punished? I think not. He is too rich, too powerful, as you said, even in this world. He will just get to go on with his life. Look at him now. Married to a woman who seems to adore him, two lovely children. And quite the position in the community he's made for himself. He thinks he is untouchable. "

Lillian stood. "I know what I have to do. I've been thinking all afternoon about what I can do." She looked back at Giselle. "I know I wouldn't get away with shooting the man, and that would be too quick for him. I want him to hurt as much as he has hurt me."

Giselle continued to listen. Lillian looked hard at her and asked. "I won't be getting help with this from my sisters, will I?"

Giselle hesitated before speaking. "While we abhor what was done to you and mourn the loss of our two sisters at his hands, we have come to recognize that what we did to him was just as heinous, just as abhorrent. We have managed to come to a tenuous truce with the man."

"Then you have made truce with the devil. He has not changed, just shed his skin for now." Lillian slowly made her way out of the convent gardens.

Giselle watched her. She found herself crying. What had happened to Lillian was so unfair, she absolutely agreed. But what would be served by going after the man now. She could not ignore the culpability of the fairies. They had begun the confrontation.

Giselle called Gold.

"I don't know where she is going, but she is leaving the convent. She is severing her ties with her sisters," she told him. "Watch your back."

+ + + + + _Meeting_

Jefferson was able to meet with Paige at the Diner. They had agreed to meet one time a week after school. Paige had shared with him that her adoptive parents were wonderful and she didn't want to do anything to upset them. She actually didn't think they knew they were adoptive parents.

Jefferson would buy her a soda and some other treat. He suggested they have Henry join them. Jefferson was acutely aware of appearances and wanted to avoid the appearance of anything untoward. He also thought that, at some point, he would want to introduce Ms. Dodgson to his daughter.

That first afternoon, when it was Paige and Henry, Jefferson quickly saw the relationship between the two children. They were attentive to each other and genuinely enjoyed each other's company. They were a lovely (very) young couple, but were not even really aware that they were a couple, not just yet. He didn't have Gold's precognition, but he could sense that they could very well have a destiny together.

Both of them sparkled with latent magical energy. Different talents, for sure, but talent, nonetheless. Henry was an amalgam of both his parents, the sheer depths of his abilities staggered Jefferson, precognition, telepathy, transporting, telekinesis, the list went on and on. Now, Paige, or Grace as he always thought of her, had bubbles of raw energy, like those her mother would access, and something else he didn't recognize. It was like a peculiar awareness of time and space. He realized with a jolt that this was _his_ magic. Not being strictly tied to any one time continuum, to any one dimension, was what had enabled him to remember his previous life when the curse was enacted. Grace, too, had inherited skills from both parents.

Grace had never asked about her mother and he wasn't going to bring her up.

+ + + + + _The Offer_

Gold and Miss Blanchard were meeting with the board from _The Daily Mirror. _She was very nervous and would often touch him on the sleeve for reassurance. For himself, Gold was in his element. A Deal. He still loved making deals, he still felt compelled to make deals.

The board obviously assumed that he was there to assist in their buy-out of Mary Margaret's little newsletter. They were joking and relaxed.

Eventually, they officially began their meeting and proposed an inordinately high amount to buy her out, higher even than the last amount they had last given Mary Margaret.

"That is a very generous offer," Gold began. "We all know that it is considerably more than her little paper is worth. One cannot help but wonder what the driving force behind this offer might be."

The board members became quiet and it was awhile before one member finally shared, "We appreciate Ms. Blanchard's base of readership. While she doesn't constitute a threat right now, we recognize that there is a potential to draw off our subscribers. As much as we are offering, we do feel that it will ultimately be to our benefit. We bear no ill will towards Ms. Blanchard and feel that this money would go well toward her re-establishing herself in another career."

"Excellent," responded Gold. "Another career is something she is looking forward to."

"Then we can sign the papers," the board was clearly ready to sign and go.

"Not exactly," Gold said and waited until he had everyone's attention. "Ms. Blanchard has a counter-proposal."

The board members were all puzzled. What ever could he mean?

Gold slid a contract before them. "She proposes to buy you out. This is our offer. There will be no negotiations. Take it or leave it." He sat back and waited.

The board members were flabbergasted and many began talking at once. "Buy us out?" "This is a very generous offer!" "What does she know about running a newspaper." And so forth.

"Perhaps," Gold began. "We should give you some time to consider her generous offer." He motioned for Mary Margaret to get up and follow him. He then gestured for her to go in front of him. As he walked out the door behind her, he turned. "This is a limited time offer, gentlemen. We expect to hear your response in twenty-four hours." He glanced at his watch as if giving himself a reminder of the deadline they would be working under.

They made it to the elevator before Mary Margaret threw her arms around him and gave him a warm, firm hug. "You were magnificent. I would have crumbled. I would have caved. Thank you, thank you."

Gold was a bit startled when she began to hug him and struggled not to go off-balance. He pulled back a little from the pretty brunette. "Ah, but this deal benefits me greatly, my dear. Don't think for a single moment that I'm doing this as a personal favor. Having a newspaper at my disposal for those occasions when it's needed has been a personal goal of mine for a while."

"Whatever. This is also what I want. I will owe you."

"Actually if this goes through, then for all intense purposes, I will own you." He smiled at her and had the satisfaction of seeing her give a slight shiver. "It's a nice feeling, my dear."

_Next: The Emerald City_

_ Lillian asks for help _

_ Ms. Dodgson_

_ The Wizard is revealed_

_ Regina seeks out Gold_


	27. Getting In

_A.N. Moving quickly towards the end of this story, tying up loose ends. This chapter will reveal the Wizard's identity (finally!) (Notsureyet18 has been right on the money guessing where things are going - good job there.) Hope it doesn't disappoint. txm _

+ + + + + _Getting In_

They stood at the large green gates of the Emerald City. They knocked.

"Yes?" A panel opened and a head appeared.

Jenny spoke up "We wish to see the great and powerful Wizard of Oz."

"He's not seeing anyone, sorry," The head disappeared and the panel closed.

"Oh no," mourned Ray, immediately flopping onto the ground. "We have come all this way and he won't see us. He won't help us. He can't help us."

Jefferson knocked and a panel opened up. A head appeared, "Yes?"

"We wish to ask the great and powerful Wizard of Oz for his help for our very good friend," he gestured towards Ray.

"He's not helping anyone today, sorry." And the panel closed.

Still flopped on the ground, Ray continued to wail, "Oh no. We won't get in. We won't get help. What shall we do? What shall we do?" He got up and pounded on the door.

A panel opened up, "Yes?"

"I bring the great and powerful Wizard of Oz a gift of gold," Ray said, reaching inside his shirt to pull out one of the strands of gold thread.

"Our great wizard _makes_ gold, sorry." And the panel went shut again.

Ray flopped down again. "Oh, no. What to do? What to do?" Jefferson and Jenny joined him sitting on the ground, all three, all dispirited, leaning against the gate of the city. They sat disconsolately for a while.

Jefferson shook his head, "I thought you had it with the offer of gold, Ray. I only know one sorcerer who is able to make gold but he's in another land, far, far away."

Ray was amazed, "He can _make_ gold? That's nice."

"Nice for him, perhaps," commented Jefferson. "He's exceptionally powerful and is very, very dangerous. Very tricky."

Ray began to murmur, "Make gold, make gold, dangerous, dangerous, tricky, tricky," to himself. He shook his head, "Asking nicely to come in will not work. Asking for help for poor brainless Ray will not work. Bringing a gift will not work."

The three continued to sit by the gate and ponder what to do. It was Ray who finally got up and tried for his second time. He banged on the gate once again.

A panel opened, "Yes?"

He spoke loudly and with a flourish of his arm directed at Jenny. "May I present her Royal Highness, the Princess Gingema from the far Eastern Realm of Oz. She has traveled far, through great dangers and endured endless hardships to respectfully request an audience with the great and powerful Wizard of Oz."

"How do we know she's the Princess?"

"She wears the silver shoes," Ray replied, again gesturing toward Jenny.

The face in the panel regarded Jenny who lifted up her shirt hem slightly to reveal her shoes. She wiggled her feet.

"Wait here," they were directed.

"Think they'll open up?" asked Jefferson.

"Well, I don't know," said Jenny. "I hadn't thought to use my real name after we had decided not to. I certainly hadn't thought to tell them I was a royal princess. Or show them my shoes. Why did you decide to do that Ray?"

"Nothing else worked. I thought, I thought maybe you being a princess would impress this gate fellow. Maybe this wizard, who is clearly nothing but an upstart, would be impressed that a real princess would come to see him."

The gate began to open.

Jefferson turned to look at Ray. "Appears you were correct, Ray. We're in."

The large gate screeched open and the three were allowed in.

The trio found themselves descended upon by guards and city officials. They were led, _or was it shepherded?_ through the city, apparently heading towards a large structure that sat in the middle of the town. Everything was an amazing green, buildings, grounds, clothing, as if the inhabitants had nothing of any other color to their names. They were being moved very quickly and several times, Jefferson lost sight of his two shorter companions. By the time they got to the large central structure, he could see Jenny but not Ray.

"Have you seen Ray?" he shouted over the crowd to Jenny.

"No," she shouted back. "He was right beside me, but when we ran into that other big group, I'm afraid he might have gotten carried away. I kept calling his name but I couldn't hear him or see him."

"That's not good. The poor thing will be terribly frightened."

He and Jenny were ushered into a large room.

"The Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz will see you when he's ready. Wait for him." one of the guards directed them.

"Wait! We have lost one of our companions! The scarecrow. He was with us." The door was shut in Jefferson's face as he registered his complaint.

The last thing he heard is, "When the Wizard is ready, he will see you."

Jefferson tried the door. They had been locked in.

"Well," Jenny said. "I guess we wait."

They stood still for a moment but after getting bored began to explore the room. It was a very large room, suitable for large dances and gatherings. There were rich velvet curtains hanging along the walls and lovely chandeliers above their heads. At the far end of the room was a large chair, like a throne, sitting on a raised platform. They wandered around and ended up sitting on the dais below the throne.

"I wonder how long he'll make us wait?" Jenny asked.

Jefferson shrugged, "I'm wondering what happened to poor Ray."

"Yeah, I miss the brainless guy," Jenny admitted. "He's actually been really helpful."

Jefferson smiled at her, "On several occasions."

They continued to wait but nothing happened.

From time to time one or the other would get up and explore the room some more. They discovered that some of the curtains concealed alcoves with sofas and pillows, but there was no food or drink in the room.

At one point, Jenny was laying on the floor. "Do you think they've forgotten about us?"

"Maybe. I understand that wizards are rather self-absorbed and do things on their own schedule."

Jenny looked at Jefferson. "We could be in here a while, you know."

Jefferson caught the interesting, interested look and the soft smile that she was giving him.

"We could probably have a little privacy if we went into one of the little curtained alcoves," he suggested.

"It would be kinda exciting, don't you think?" Jenny had stood up and began wandering over to one of the alcoves. She pulled off her jacket.

Jefferson didn't need a second invitation. He followed Jenny into the curtained area, one with a good sized sofa and cushions. He pulled the curtains to behind them.

+ + + + + _A_ _New Alliance_

There was a knock at the door. Regina opened it and found a petite nun standing outside of her house. She had as much use for nuns as Gold had, so she wasn't particularly welcoming.

"Yes?"

"Regina Mills?"

"Yes."

"My name is Lillian. I was once known as the Lilac Fairy. I have an interesting proposition for you that may benefit us both."

Regina hesitated, but then motioned for her to come in. "I'll get you some apple cider."

Lillian began her story with Regina.

_Regina listened with a growing sense of interest. Long before Regina's time, this woman had been subjected for months, maybe years, to abuse, serious abuse, by a young Rumple. She had finally been rescued by her sisters, but he managed to kill two of her sisters, one during her rescue and the other much later. This was all in revenge for them convincing his son to abandon him. Well, that certainly explained his vendetta against the fairies – and their feelings about him. Now this young woman had remembered, remembered everything. _

_And she was furious. And she had rejected her sisters because those twits had come to a compromise with Rumple._

Now this opened up some possibilities. Regina was smiling. _Well, at least something was falling into place. _

+ + + + + _Alice_

Jefferson had managed to convince Ms. Dodgson to meet with himself, his daughter and his daughter's friend after school. They got a corner table at the Diner and ordered tea for the adults and hot chocolate for the children. Jefferson explained the situation by sharing that he was good friends with Mr. Gold and Henry was his son and, in turn, Paige was Henry's friend.

Both children found Ms. Dodgson funny and personable, very comfortable with children and obviously someone who had some strong feelings about Jefferson. They also thought that she was extra pretty, with long blond hair and big blue eyes. Henry spent some time asking her somewhat personal questions about herself. Where was she from? Did she have any sisters? Why did she decide to teach math?

Alice easily answered all his questions, a bit amused. She finished up her tea and excused herself, pleading papers to grade. She hesitated briefly but then leaned in to give Jefferson a quick kiss before leaving out.

Both children had the maturity to wait until she had stepped out of the Diner before giving in to themselves, simultaneously sounding out a "Woo-ooo."

Paige was grinning. "Jefferson, she's beautiful." They had agreed that she would call him Jefferson in public just in case someone might over-hear them. Paige had also told Henry about the relationship and Jefferson was well aware of Henry's book and his theories.

"She's Alice," announced Henry.

Jefferson didn't bite. "Well yes, that's her first name."

"No, I mean, _she's Alice_. The one who fell into Wonderland."

Jefferson realized quickly that trying to fool this child was akin to trying to come out on top of deal made with his father. "Well, I guess she could be," he agreed, neutrally. He caught Henry looking closing at him. He knew that Henry had some of his mother's mind-reading talents and tried to keep his thoughts off himself, but a quick glance told him he was too late. Henry was looking at him with definite recognition.

+ + + + + _All is Revealed_

"Well, well, this is a bit of a let-down." Jefferson and Jenny heard a familiar voice. "Ray!" they both cried out. Jenny quickly pulled on her well-worn underdress, her striped socks and her shoes. She pulled back the curtain and dashed out of the alcove, leaving her overskirt and jacket behind in her eagerness to see the scarecrow.

"We missed you! We kept calling for you! We looked all over for you!" she told him, running over to him to give him a hug. He was actually sitting on the chair on the dais. She whispered to him, "We think that this is the Wizard's chair, so you may not want to sit in it."

"Is that right?" he whispered back to her. He pulled back and looked her over. "Where are your clothes?" he asked, still whispering.

"Back in the alcove."

Ray sat back in the chair. "So you and Jefferson?" he put his fingers together, tapping them, "Happy? Simple? Good?"

She nodded, laughing, "Happy, simple, good."

The scarecrow looked at her for a long moment. "That's as it should be," he said, mostly to himself. Jenny didn't understand him.

"I don't understand. What do you mean?"

Ray ignored her question. He shifted around in the throne-chair, drawing his legs up at one point, then putting them back down again. "This chair, not so comfortable, not so nice. Why would a great wizard want something like this to sit on? Alcove chairs are nicer."

"Then come with me, you can wait with Jefferson and me in the alcove." She stood upright. "I'm beginning to think that this wizard will never come. I even wonder if he actually exists or if he was just a terrible rumor started by some troublemaker.

"Oh, he will come," Ray assured her. "Ray knows this. The wizard will come. He's been waiting for you."

"Waiting for me?" Jenny shook her head, "What are you talking about? How do you know this?"

"I hear, I hear many people talking. They say the wizard has been far away for several days and has only just come back. They are excited to have the wizard back. He is a magic man and he makes magic happen."

"Then why isn't he here now? What are we waiting for?"

"Oh, I don't know," Ray said quietly. He shook one of his arms and then reached over with the other hand to pull off one of his gloves. A gnarled green-gold hand appeared, a hand not human, but a substantial hand nonetheless, a hand with blackened claw-like nails. Straw fell out of the sleeve of his shirt. He shook the other arm and then pulled off the other glove and to reveal a second green-gold hand. Even more straw was scattered. He shook his head and first pulled off his little hat, tossing it over his shoulder. He then pulled at the burlap sack that constituted his head and face and revealed a green-gold face with a sharply defined nose and deep brown eyes. He ran his fingers through his brown hair, matted with straw. He stood up and shook each leg and his entire body, scattering straw but now beginning to look increasingly and entirely solid. He picked up one of the pieces of straw examining it closely. "This is nice straw," he said to himself. He then reached above the throne and pulled on a bell cord. Almost immediately, the doors opened and people, perhaps as many as fifty well-dressed servants as well as, judging by their weapons, guards came into the room.

By this time, Jefferson had re-attired himself and had come out to welcome back their scarecrow. He was watching Ray and the ensuing activity with increasing alarm. This was not their brainless scarecrow anymore. This was someone else. _This couldn't be who he thought it was. He was far away in another place, another time._

Jenny was also watching Ray with an ever increasing realization. She slowly sank to her knees on the corner of the dais.

In a small voice she asked him, "Great wizard, are you going to kill me?"

"Kill you? Kill you?" He lifted her chin so that she looked at him in the eye. "Oh no dearie, you are too valuable a resource for me to kill." He signaled to several of the servants. "Take the pretty witch here, clean her up and have her sent to my private chamber." He leaned forward and whispered to Jenny, "I trust you will have the good sense to be cooperative." She caught him make a meaningful glance over at Jefferson.

As Jenny was being led away, Jefferson moved to intervene. Ray signaled guards, who quickly moved to restrain the young man. Ray walked over to Jefferson and took his hat. "Now, this is an interesting device, most interesting. Professionally it interests me. I will hold onto it for a while. Wouldn't want you slipping out of here." He winked at Jefferson and then gestured to the guard, "Take away the Hatter here. He can also be cleaned up. I want him in a secure room. Chain him up if you have to. I will deal with him later."

"I know who you are," he heard Jefferson call out as he was being led out. "I know your name."

Ray watched the two being led away. "Everyone knows my name," he said to himself.

Regina came by to see Gold. She was smiling so he knew it couldn't possibly be good news.

"My dear, what can I do for you?" he asked her.

"Well, my dear," she said copying his tones. "It may be more of what I can do for you."

"Go on."

_Definitely not good news_.

"I've had a visitor."

Gold considered the possibilities and made a conclusion. "The lovely sister Lillian?"

"The one and same," she replied. "She had quite the story to share." Regina began to randomly pick up and examine items in the shop. "You know, I knew that I have engaged in some pretty reprehensible behaviors but had no idea the depths you had sunk to. There were always the rumors about you, of course. What you did with your 'girls,' what you did with the babies you took, what kind of advantage you would take of some of the desperate women who came to you. Rape, cannibalism, human sacrifice, desecration of corpses, always suspected there was _nothing_ beneath you, no point where you would draw the line. Tell me, did you pander the poor thing out at any time? It sounded like you had done everything else with her."

"I kept her for my own use only," he replied, turning his attention back to his ever present receipts. He knew Regina would get to whatever point she had to make soon enough.

"She wants to kill you, you know."

"I'm sure," he was not surprised.

"But nothing quick or easy, mind you. The option that came up often was one where she hoists you up by your heels and skins you alive."

Gold winced.

"Another one she talked about was walling you up in a room, giving you water and just enough food now and then to keep you alive for some time before finally cutting off the food supply and letting you starve. She's also thought about draining your blood periodically and letting you subsist for awhile until you built yourself back up and then draining you again. And, of course, she often considered slicing off your, um," Regina shrugged, "well for propriety's sake, let's call it your manhood. She wants to cut it off slowly, thin slice by thin slice." Regina made chopping motions with her hand.

"Sounds like she has a rich fantasy life," he responded grimly.

"She came to me to see if I could help her make her dreams come true," Regina smiled at him. "I'm inclined to see what I can do to help her out. . . unless. . ."

He sighed, "What do you want?" he asked her.

"Well, several things. Of course first, right now, take the geas off me regarding my 'pleasure'."

He smiled at her. "Done. Now what else do you want?"

"My powers back. I will need them to contain her, to mis-direct her."

He didn't reply.

Regina leaned in and said in a low, conspiratorial tone, "You know if someone doesn't get control over her, she will come after you and, given that she has no cares about what would happen to her afterwards, she is very likely to do some hurt to you, maybe even kill you." Regina just seemed too happy to be sharing this news. "All I want from you is to return my powers and take off that awful aging curse and I'll keep you safe from harm."

Gold couldn't stop himself from smiling at her. "You want everything back," he summed up her demands.

Regina still leaned over, "You will still have my son and Emma will still be mayor," she reminded him. She was very close to him, making direct eye contact and smiling.

"Let me think about it," he told her. "I'll give you an answer tomorrow morning."

"Early tomorrow," she told him in a clear, authoritative tone. He watched her sashay out of his shop.

_Bitch._

This was an unpleasant turn of events. He was considering his options when the telephone rang.

"Gold," he answered.

He listened to the voice on the other end of the line and began to smile. _Well, at least something was falling into place._

_Next: Jenny and the Wizard_


	28. New, Concerns & a Visit

+ + + + + + _News_

"Ms. Blanchard, may I come in?" Gold had knocked on Mary Margaret's door. She had her little living room converted to a publication center. There were stacks of papers all over the room, along with several printers, boxes of ink cartridges, and computer monitors.

"Sure Mr. Gold. Please come in and," she waved her hand toward the room. "please excuse the mess. My little newspaper kinda took over the place."

"I'm sure it did," he responded kindly. He looked over the room and eventually was able to locate a chair that he was able to sit down into by moving out some papers.

"Can I get you some tea or coffee or . . . ?" she asked him.

"Tea would be lovely," he responded. He sat quietly, his hands resting on his cane, intently watching the lovely brunette bustle about while she fixed him some Earl Grey. He noted how her hands had the slightest tremor.

_Yes, she was still quite nervous about him, like she had been so often in the past when she had come to him for favors. Yes, she was still afraid of him. He considered. There were very few who were not still afraid of him, despite all that this woman had done to soften his image. He had to smile to himself. Fear helped him accomplish things, get people to comply with his desires, even his whims. Only Emma, and perhaps little Paige, were not particularly afraid of him. Oh, and baby Ysbael. She was afraid of nothing. _

Mary Margaret put the water on to boil and returned to him.

"Have you had news?" she asked, clasping and unclasping her hands.

"Yes, I think you'll be pleased. They were . . . uh, concerned that I was prepared to bankroll you into a full scale second paper which could drive them out of business and leave them with nothing."

Her pretty face brightened up. "And?"

"They have agreed to everything. We are now the owners of _The Daily Mirror_."

Mary Margaret sat down abruptly, opened-mouthed, scattering papers and ink boxes. "I can't believe it. I mean," she clarified, somewhat embarrassed, "I wasn't expecting it to be this easy. I own _The Daily Mirror._" She looked up into Gold's eyes, dark and speculative. "I guess I need to start to work on getting you those dividends."

He smiled at her, his eyes glinting. "I guess you do. I trust you will have the good sense to run any articles about myself and members of my family by your largest stockholder."

+ + + + + _New Concerns and Old Issues_

It was afternoon and Gold had made it back to his shop. He had begun to feel that he was spending less and less time there, what with Emma's election antics, Emma's office redecoration, Emma, Mary Margaret's paper-buying triumph, Lillian's escape and Lillian's alliance with Regina. And there was the always delightful Miss Paige stopping by to see him, a pleasant interruption, but an interruption nonetheless. The bell rang and he sighed. _What now?_

It was Jefferson.

"I'm not sure what to say," the younger man began.

"Then don't say anything," Gold wasn't in a mood for confrontation.

Jefferson wasn't intimidated. "My daughter. You seem to be . . . cultivating her."

"She's a delightful young lady. She comes by many days to say hello," Gold tersely described his relationship with the child.

"I know that you do nothing by chance, nothing by half-measures. Why are you encouraging my daughter?"

Gold shut his receipts drawer with a bang. "If you are intimating that I have designs on your ten year old daughter, please put that thought away. I'll admit to many vices, but pedophilia is not one of them. Your daughter is a very good friend of my son's. The relationship seems to have benefited them both. I've encouraged it. The children like to come by my shop. They do their homework, chit-chat and sometimes, explore in the backroom."

"She comes by here sometimes without Henry," Jefferson persisted.

"She does," Gold admitted. "She actually seems to like me, perhaps as a father-figure, maybe even a grandfather. I enjoy her company too, Jefferson. She's a bright, curious, delightful child, but that's as far as things go."

Jefferson still hesitated. "She's magical, isn't she?"

Gold finally smiled at him. _Ah, now he was getting to his point. _"Indeed she is, indeed she is. She has every bit of her mother's talents and quite a few of yours. She will be most formidable."

"You knew all along, didn't you?"

"Well, of course I did, Jefferson." He walked around the counter to confront the younger man. "Even before she was born. I want to encourage her talents. Please believe that."

To his credit, Jefferson did not back away from Gold. Standing his ground, he asked one more question, "Did you ever sleep with her mother?"

_Another unresolved issue. Damn. _It was Gold's turn to pause. "Long. . . long after you were out of the picture." He made direct eye contact and smiled again, "Jenny was self-centered, too independent for her own good and absolutely delicious, wasn't she?"

Jefferson did not reply. Well, not with words. He took one quick swing at Gold aiming at his jaw. Expecting the punch, Gold blocked the swing with his cane and ended up pushing the street end of the cane into Jefferson's gut, effectively knocking the wind out of the younger man. Jefferson stumbled backwards, catching himself on the counter. Gold raised his cane but did not bring it down on him.

Gold then repeated what he had previously said while looming over the younger man. "Jefferson, you were long out of the picture before I bedded the witch. She was most eager, quite cooperative, actually a bit slutty. Not like some of the other frigid bitches I've shared a cot with. But I assure you, long before I ever touched her, that I went to great lengths to put you two together, to have that child conceived. Don't think for a moment that Grace is not your child."

Jefferson was staggered and still doubled over. He rubbed his stomach eyeing Gold's cane warily. "You got rid of me, back in Oz, didn't you? You knew Jenny was carrying my child and you convinced me that she didn't want me around and got me to leave. Why was that? To clear your path?"

Gold closed his eyes. "No. Please understand. The child could not stay with Jenny, could not be raised by her. She would have become. . . evil had she stayed with her mother. If you had stayed with Jenny to help raise your daughter, Grace would have become evil. Having lost my own child, it was not easy for me to take Jenny's child from her, please believe me. I very much cared for Jenny. But, there was a far greater good at stake. That's why I brought Grace to you. You were her father and I knew you would raise her to become a good person, a good woman."

"But losing her child made Jenny bitter and untrusting."

Gold shook his head. "I knew her fate, Jefferson. Whether bitter and untrusting or blithely happy, I knew how Jenny would die. I'd seen it so very long ago."

"You could have saved her?"

"No, I've seen this type of thing before. If I had tried to prevent her death, worse would have happened. It was meant to be."

"I did love her," Jefferson said quietly. "And you used us, played us."

"To save Grace. Jenny was amazing, I'll grant that," Gold agreed. "But your daughter is even more amazing. You've done a terrific job with her." Gold lowered his cane and took a step back. "And, please remember, I did tell you that there would be someone else for you. And I have since introduced Miss Alice back into your life." He looked kindly on the young man, "She is the one for you, you know."

"How do I know that all of this is not another one of your games?" Jefferson asked.

Gold leaned forward, leaning on the counter. "I did use you Jefferson, and Jenny too. I owe you both. I have always. . . regretted what happened with Jenny. What had to be done. What I did. Making sure I keep my word to her that her daughter is taken care of is important to me. Making it up to you by bringing your true love back into your life, is also important to me. You are a fortunate man, Jefferson to have had two women to love."

Jefferson was back standing up straight. "Three women, Gold. I have love for three women, or perhaps," he corrected himself with a smile. "Two and a half." Somewhat mollified Jefferson turned to go. "And how about yourself, Gold? How many women do you have love for?"

The question took him by surprise. _How many women did he have love for? He chest tightened. Belle? Oh god, yes. He had cared about Jenny, but not loved her. Zurie? She'd been wonderful, but there had been no love. Hell, at one time he'd cared about Regina, but had never loved her – and she'd never forgiven him for that. He loved his daughter, he would freely admit to that. And Emma? Did he love Emma? _

When he didn't answer, Jefferson shook his head. "Be a fortunate man, Gold. Recognize what you have. Accept it."

+ + + + + _Confrontation_

Lillian stirred. She was not used to Regina's house yet. She was in one of the spare bedrooms, decorated in Regina's stark black, white and steel grey choices. Her cell in the nunnery had been warmer and more inviting.

It was early in the morning, very, very early in the morning, about three o'clock. Still dark outside. Why had she awakened? She thought that she had heard something and looked around the room.

_Rumple? No, no, no! _

Her heart went into her throat. What did he want? What would he do to her?

"Hello Lillian," Gold was sitting in a chair in a dark corner of her room. _This had turned into a difficult day for him, what with Jefferson's little aggressive outburst – he certainly hoped the man had gotten it out of his system. That was one bullet dodge. But then there were Jefferson's disturbing comments about love. And then Emma, dear Emma, she had insisted on this next course of action. This should prove interesting regardless of how it ended. _

Lillian struggled to sit upright in the bed, pulling the sheet up around her neck, her large lavender eyes dilated with fear. To say she was not happy to see him was an understatement.

"No need for that dear." He had to smile at her modesty. "We've spent enough time together. I believe I'm familiar with every inch of your lovely body." _And she was still lovely, beyond the beauty found in mortal women. Her fear seemed only to amplify her fragile features and delicate coloring. There was a full moon and in its light, shining through the window, she seemed almost luminous._

"How did you get in here?" her voice was a breathy whisper.

"Regina has no magic. She has no wards, no way to protect you. Did she not tell you that?" he answered her, "I just walked in."

Lillian shook her head. "Why are you here?" she asked still in her whisper. She didn't drop the sheet. She was visibly trembling.

"Regina came to me today."

Lillian said nothing, sitting absolutely still, waiting for him to continue.

"She had a proposition. I thought you might be interested in what she was offering me."

Lillian considered what he was telling her. "Go on," she finally replied.

"She wanted me to return her powers so that she could 'contain' you and stop you from killing me."

Lillian slowly dropped the sheet. She was dressed, as far as he could see, in a demure long-sleeved nightgown, buttoned to the neck.

"Contain me? Stop me?" Lillian was puzzled.

"Exactly," he waited.

Lillian ran her hand through her hair, cut short as a nun, but still a beautiful pale ash color. "But she had told me that she was going to help me. That she would work with me so that I could. . . " Lillian gave him a soft smile, "kill you without anyone knowing it was me."

"Regina helps only herself, Lillian. I don't know if you can possibly believe me, but, I'm willing to help you, perhaps not in the way you want, but I can help you."

"What can you do?" she asked him warily, her immediate fear lessened but not gone.

"What would like me to do?" He then added caustically, "Besides die a slow and painful death?"

She actually gave a chuckle. "What can you offer me?" she asked.

"Almost, almost anything you could imagine," he told her. "I can certainly give you a house and a generous monthly stipend. You could have all your physical wants and desires satisfied."

"That's a start, although it will be interesting to hear what the neighbors will say about you supporting an ex-nun while you are presenting yourself otherwise as a happily married man."

He ignored the barbed comment. "What else would you want?"

"An apology."

He nodded. "I am indeed very sorry, Lillian. For all that I did to you. I look back now and it was like I was another person, insane with anger and grief. I wanted to hurt you as much as I felt you had hurt me . . . but it never made it better."

"That's a start for an apology, but I want more from you."

"What?" he asked a bit perplexed.

"I want you to kneel and apologize."

He paused for a moment. "Lillian, I have a genuine problem with my leg and kneeling is quite difficult for me." He kept his voice calm and reasonable.

"You broke my bones," she reminded him. "Why should any of your aches or pains be of any concern to me? Kneel," she repeated. Lillian was feeling her own anger now and was less afraid, at least for the moment. He wasn't quite the all-powerful green wizard she had dealt with so long ago. He was just, more or less, a man.

"Only if you wish," he responded and watched her shiver, having given her the response he had long ago taught her say whenever he gave her a command with which she did not wish to comply.

He took a deep breath and struggled to his knees, propping himself up with his cane, leaning on it, holding on to it with one hand. He looked at her across the darkened room. "Kneel down or kneel up?" he asked her, with a hint of amusement.

Lillian cringed and did not immediately respond. He could see her knees reflexively bend beneath the bedclothes. _He had conditioned her well to these commands so very long ago. Punishment or pleasure, sometimes both, would always follow. _

Struggling against the flashflood of memories, of him forcing her into subservient positions, kneeling postures that preceded his sexual predations, his temper displays, his amusements, Lillian tried to pull herself back to the present. Very softly she heard him, "I'm not telling you what to do, dear. I'm asking what you want me to do."

She took a moment, calming herself, bit her lower lip and then told him, "Kneel up," directing him into a kneeling position with his body continuing straight up from his knees.

Gold gave her a moment, slightly smiling, before again apologizing, "My dear, I am most sorry for the way I treated you. The way I mistreated you, abused you."

"Now that's better." She was beginnng to pull herself together.

He started to get up, but she stopped him. "No, no, I want you on your knees for the rest of this conversation."

"It's been a long time since I knelt in front of anyone, my dear," he told her. This time his eyes narrowed and darkened.

"I imagine so," she replied. "If I'm recalling your history correctly, it was right before you gained your powers. You later went back and broke the man's neck, the one who had made you kneel. One of your first acts as the new Dark One."

"That's right," he agreed with her.

"But you won't be coming back to break my neck, will you sir?" she asked him. "You will accept this from me. . . for right now."

"For right now," he again agreed.

"There is one more thing," she said.

"Which is?"

"I want your daughter."

Lillian then had the satisfaction of seeing the great Rumplestiltskin flinch.

_Next: Gold and the Fairy come an agreement_

_ Jefferson uses his hat_

_ Regina makes a discovery_

_ Ray and Jenny-Jenny talk (and do other stuff, ahem)_

_ Emma shows off another new dress_

_A.N.: OK, I know this is a short chapter, but I couldn't resist ending it with Rumple getting alittle payback. Should update shortly with a longer chapter. Thx everyone. txm _


	29. A New Deal

+ + + + + _The New Deal_

"Ysbael?" Gold began to struggle to his feet, but stopped cold when he found himself looking down the barrel of a gun. She must have had the thing in the bed with her.

Lillian sighed. "I didn't realize that Regina had none of her magic left. That's not what she had led me to believe. And I guess I assumed she was able to lock her doors so that not just anything could crawl in. I was so wrong about that," she gave him a scathing look. "But, I'm not completely stupid, Rumple. I have learned not to trust anyone and I don't depend on anyone to take care of me."

She shifted herself and sat upon the side of bed, nearly caressing the gun. "You know it's odd, in the Before Time, I would not have been able to touch this weapon. The iron would have burned me so, but here, I can touch it without any problems. Of course," she smiled at him, "I haven't had any training in actually shooting a gun. The man at the store showed me how to load it and how to take the safety off and he had me do a bit of target practice."

She seemed almost demure. "I was able to hit the target, but not quite the center, so I know I probably wouldn't hit what I was aiming for." She pointed the gun at his heart, "I end up going a bit high," the gun barrel eased up to his head, "or a bit low," the gun barrel lowered towards his crotch.

"And this would be perfect." In a dramatic voice she began a recitation, "I heard a noise and realized there was someone in my room. I was so frightened and I reached for my gun and it went off. I have no idea what Mr. Gold was doing in my bedroom." She batted her eyes at him.

Gold was leery but still furious. "Isn't this how everything started, with you bitches taking my son?" He did not attempt to disguise the anger that had seeped into his voice.

"Alright, alright, I don't actually want to _take_ her, but I couldn't resist. I wanted to get your attention," She gave him a low laugh, "I guess I did that." Lillian expanded on her request. "On her tenth birthday, I want her to come to learn from me. I will be her teacher for a year and a day."

Lillian set the gun aside. She rose from the bed and walked over to Gold. He was breathing shallowly and his eyes were half closed. They had turned nearly black. She knelt down in front of him so that she was almost eye to eye and then took his hands into hers. "Understand, I mean no harm to your daughter. I would never use her to get at you. That is not who I am, what I am. She would still live with you and her mother, but she would come to see me, I'd say several times a week for lessons. . . magic lessons." Lillian paused. "And I would need to know her true name."

"But why do you want her?"

Lillian closed her eyes for a moment, opened them and still holding his hands in her own, said, "I _have_ to teach her. I have to teach her about her magic. Rumplestiltskin, listen to me." She dropped his hands.

The Lilac Fairy closed her eyes for a moment. "My talent is like one of yours. I see the future. And a very, very long ago, I had a vision. There were coming three great sorcerers. The first was the strongest and the most dangerous. Powers we had never seen before. A human with Great Talent, but never recognized as such, never trained, never tutored. After great trials, he would acquire access to even more power, essentially unlimited power and he would be a threat to all we knew."

Gold pursed his lips. "Me?"

"You," she confirmed. "We knew we had to do something to try to stop you, but we also knew that it would certainly be at a great cost, perhaps even our lives. We prepared ourselves and thought we had taken every precaution. We thought we had accounted for everything. We wanted to remove you from our world. We knew of your love for your son and we thought that you would certainly follow him out of our world. But we underestimated your desire for the power, never thinking it would be more than your love for your child." She closed her eyes before continuing, "And then we found that you could drain other magical beings of their power. This was a new ability for us. We had never seen anything like it and we were totally unprepared. We realized that we had unintentionally aided in creating a most powerful entity," she swallowed before continuing, "And we had made him our enemy. Not the smartest move on our part," she smiled ruefully at him and shook her head. "We have paid, I have paid, for our shortcomings."

"I know this story. You said there were three," he urged her to continue. His knee was beginning to cause him considerable grief.

"The second you were gracious enough to identify and address, pulling her away from becoming a dark force and channeling her towards goodness and fairness."

He thought a moment, "Grace?"

She nodded and actually smiled at him. "You did everything right, despite the choices being very difficult. We commend you."

"Thank you," he accepted her praise. "I believe I see where this is going. The third powerful sorcerer is. . . "

"Your daughter, Ysbael. We knew the third power was out there but it was shrouded and we could not see details. I know now that The Curse shadowed and darkened our vision, so only now, as our memories are returning, are we able to recognize her. Ysbael is very special. Grace, you can teach and _should _teach. And I believe, you have already started with her. But your daughter, only I can teach. I know this. I have always known this. Once the teaching tenure is completed, I will remove the compulsion to make deals from you."

Gold knelt quietly for a moment. Nothing she had said had completely surprised him. He had foreseen his daughter for many, many years and knew there was something extraordinary about her.

"Can I trust you?" He asked her.

"You're asking for _my_ trust? Rumple that's astonishing! I would think of the two of us, I would be the one dealing with trust issues." She turned her head away from him for a moment as if considering her response, "Can you trust me not to turn her against you?" She turned back to him and looked him in the eyes, "Rest assured, I am quite familiar with the extent of your wrath and have no desire to run afoul of you again in this or any other existence. Are we in agreement?"

Gold struggled to his feet and held his hand out for the Fairy to rise. She hesitated but a moment but gave him her hand and also stood, pulling her hand away as soon as she had regained her feet. He stretched out his leg, rubbing the knee to ease some of the discomfort.

He then smiled at the Fairy and reached inside his jacket pocket. "Actually Lillian, I brought a contract for you to look over and sign."

Lillian stepped back from him, not quite concealing a shudder. She shook her head, "You are truly terrifying, sir." Then, as if he were handing her fire, she held out her hand for the contract. As she glanced over the particulars, she looked up at him and repeated, "Truly terrifying."

"You will see that on her tenth birthday I will give you my daughter's name." He hesitated a moment before continuing, "I would suggest you gather your things and come with me now. Regina is not going to be willing to just let you walk out of here."

She nodded in agreement and began to pull her limited personal property together. He waited while she gathered her meager possessions.

"You can stay at my house until we can arrange another suitable place for you. You will be under my protection. I _will_ keep you safe," he assured her.

"Your wife will be accepting of this?" she asked him.

"Emma is the one who told me to come here. She seemed to feel that I owed you something and has been encouraging me to make re-compensation."

She was ready quickly. Gold held out his hand to her. "I can transport us, but you must allow me to touch you and hold you close."

Even in the bare moonlight, he could see her swallow hard, but she finally nodded and allowed him to wrap his arms around her.

Emma was waiting for them.

+ + + + + _Magic Hat_

"She wants you to go," Rumple had abruptly appeared in Jefferson's room.

Jefferson had agreed to sit quietly and wait for the Wizard to come to him. Chains had not been necessary. He had been locked in the room and his hat had been taken away from him.

"What? What did you do to her?" Jefferson had risen but had not approached the Wizard. Although he was bigger and younger and almost certainly more than a physical match for the Wizard, he was quite familiar with the powers of this particular sorcerer and was very reluctant to outright confront him.

"We just talked." He looked around. "Oh good, you did get something to eat. I wanted you to be comfortable. I'm still curious about that hat of yours. I wasn't able to get it to do anything. You have to have your mind set a certain way?"

"Yeah," confirmed Jefferson. "I have to think just the right thing in the right way. If I don't, there's no telling what the hat will do."

"Like giving you my spun gold instead of straw?" Rumple asked archly.

"I'd asked for 'straw for the scarecrow,' not just 'straw.' The hat knew who you were, are," he corrected. Jefferson sat back down. "What did you do to her?"

Rumple looked at the young man. "We. just. talked," he repeated. "I never put my hands on her, if that's what you're asking, well, except to touch her hair. She has really glorious hair."

Jefferson was shaking his head and had gotten up again, agitated. He began walking around the room. "I know your reputation. I saw how you looked at her in the throne room."

"What? Do you think I just tossed her on my bed and fucked her until she couldn't walk or talk? I may get around to doing that. She is rather fascinated by me, one of those women who is easily seduced by power, you know. And I do find her to be an extraordinary, exotic beauty – the same as you do, I'm sure. She smells like spiced apples. Tell me, Jefferson, does she taste like spiced apples?"

Jefferson lunged for him but Rumple quickly sidestepped him and with a wave of his hand, he sent the younger man flying through the air. Jefferson landed against a wall with a thud and sat up dazed.

"Oh please, tell me, you never partook of the finer aspects of the lovely Jenny-Jenny? What, did you just poke her a couple of time and not bother with. . . ah, tasting her?" Rumple asked, goading the younger man.

Jefferson did not respond. He was furious but knew he was no match for the green goblin than stood before him.

"Well, I guess that answered that question," observed Rumple He was wandering the room while he talked, looking things over as if he had not seen them before, not been in this room before. He would occasionally pick things up and examine them. He looked back at Jefferson. "I will have some time with her. You are to go." He handed Jefferson back his hat. "She's chosen me. I'll take care of her, Jefferson. From now on, I will take care of her."

Jefferson took the hat back. He knew he couldn't challenge this sorcerer. He didn't have a chance of overpowering him. He knew he was being ordered away and knew he was being given no choice but to leave. Defeated, he asked, "I can't even say goodbye?"

Rumple considered. "This way will be easier. I will be here to comfort her." He gave Jefferson a quick mirthless smile and then came and stood close by the young magical man. "There is another one for you, Jefferson. Not soon, not soon, but yes. Definitely another one."

Jefferson didn't process what the older wizard had just told him. Instead he pleaded, "Tell Jenny, please, tell her I didn't want to go."

"Of course, of course. I will tell her," Rumple perfunctorily told him.

Out of professional curiosity, Rumple watched Jefferson spin his hat and then leap into it, the hat disappearing after him.

"Well, that's odd. Like it opens a hole and he jumps into it and then the hole closes on itself." Rumple shook his head. "I'll stick with conjuring gates. More control."

+ + + + + + _The Odds of Change_

Regina came into the shop at 9:00 the next morning. It took less than a glance to see that she was fuming.

"She had better be all right," she snapped at Gold.

"My dear?"

"Lillian disappeared last night with all her clothing and everything."

"Really? Then, I guess I should be looking over my shoulder today. I appreciate you coming by to tell me she had fled."

"You know that is not what happened! You engineered this disappearance. It has your handprint all over it. You have disposed of her or stashed her somewhere."

"Why would I have. . . ? How could I have done such a thing? Do you think I bespelled her and spirited her away?" Gold feigned innocence.

"I don't know what you did or how you did it. I don't even care. But you have her somewhere. I want to know that she's all right. I want to see her."

Gold regarded her closely. "She doesn't want to see you," he finally said.

"What? I don't believe you."

"Believe what you will." He held her gaze a moment and then confessed, "I did come by and speak with her last night and we were able to come to a mutually advantageous compromise. I offered her protection and she agreed. If you don't believe me, Emma can vouch that she's perfectly safe and perfectly agreeable to our current arrangement."

Regina drew her hand back as if to strike Gold. She managed to stop herself before following through. "You son of bitch. You manipulative son of a bitch. You got to her somehow and convinced her somehow that you had changed."

"I think she decided that the odds that _I_ had changed for the better were superior to the odds that _you_ had changed for the better." He smiled at Regina. "I think you've lost your bargaining chip, dearie. It's time for you to go."

Regina stood a moment, her rage consuming her. "You better keep looking over your shoulder. Lillian may not be gunning for you, but I still am." She turned on her heel and stalked out.

Gold watched her. "Oh please," he said to himself. Then he smiled. That always felt good.

+ + + + + _When the student is ready. . ._

It was later that afternoon when, instead of her usual wave and pass by, Paige gave a timid knock on his door and came into his shop.

"Hello Miss Page." Gold greeted the child.

"Hello Mr. Gold." She looked around his shop, fascinated, as always, by all the items he had stashed up and down and in various corners and cubbies. She looked back at him and smiled, "You know I was able to meet my real dad. He knows I know and we're getting together about once a week."

He nodded. "Henry told me. I'm so glad. I'm guessing the dreams have stopped."

"Completely, sir. So many things make sense now. Well mostly."

"Mostly?"

"Well other things are happening now."

He waited.

"I'm moving things around. Henry saw me do it and told me to tell you."

"What do you mean?" He knew exactly what she was talking about but needed to hear her say it.

"I _think_ it, and it happens," she dropped her eyes as if expecting him to contradict and berate her for such a foolish statement.

"Of course you do, Paige or do you want me to call you Grace?"

She was only mildly startled and quickly recovered to answer, "Paige is fine, sir. What do you mean, of course I do?" She wasn't sure if he was just being kindly.

He tilted his head, "Paige, you know what is happening. You just need to get better control."

She nodded. "That's what Henry told me. He said you had been practicing with him and I was sorta hoping. . . that maybe. . . you would be ok with me. . . with maybe working with me. . . with helping me. . . ?"

Gold smiled. _This was what he had been hoping for, what Lillian had told him _should _happen. _"Oh course dear. You want better control. I can suggest some exercises for you." He came around the counter. "You and I need to go into the back room. I'll show you some practice activities."

+ + + + + _Wicked_

"Hello pretty witch."

"Ray!" Jenny vaulted out of her seat and ran to hug him. "You've been gone too long this time," she admonished him. She had been sitting in her bed chamber on plush chaise lounge working on some silk embroidery in the afternoon sun. Her standing frame and silken skeins had scattered when she had gotten up so quickly.

"Busy," he shrugged and splayed his hands out. "Sorry. I have missed you," he pulled her into himself and kissed her firmly on the lips. "I came as soon as I had a moment."

She kissed him back and allowed him to push her back onto the lounger. They spent a few minutes tugging on each other's clothing before they were able to strip each other and press themselves close enough together to attain mutual satisfaction.

They lay together afterwards. Rumple had pulled her hair down and now had a long strand wrapped around one of his hands. He would alternately rub it against his face or use the fringed end to tickle her.

"You have beautiful hair," he rolled over onto his stomach more than half of his body lying on top of hers. There was barely room for the two of them on the lounger. "You have beautiful eyes, beautiful lips, beautiful breasts, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful," he ran his hands up and down her body. "I have so missed you, witch," he told her.

"And I you. How is Jefferson? I have been able to watch my daughter with the special spell you gave me last time you were here and I sometimes see him," she spoke quietly, "He seems sad and lonely."

"He misses you but there is no real way for all three of you to be together in the same place. He would never leave Grace, not even to be with you."

"He loves her, I know, and he seems to be taking wonderful care of her. She's such a pretty child."

He laughed, "Well, look at her parents. Of course, she is beautiful. But she is also sweet and kind and very smart."

"Of course she is, look at her parents," Jenny was able to tell him with a smile.

Jenny slowly reattired herself and was closely watching her lover stretch and settle on the lounger. "You know, it's been two years since your last visit. And that time you only stayed two days."

He cut his eyes over to her. _Where was she going with this? _"I'm busy. And coming here. . . This place is not just a different place. You are a different time for me. Sometimes I miss the _when_ I'm coming to."

Jenny slowly responded, "I feel that I am just an afterthought for you, an amusement, an occasional distraction. I wish I was strong enough to tell you to go and never return, but I'm not. I really enjoy being with you and," she confessed in a low tone, "I especially enjoy how you make me feel."

"But you sound resentful," he observed.

"Well, when you just come to me for a quick. . . " she wasn't sure the best word. She closed her eyes and collected herself. "I feel like you come only for the sex and once you've had that, you're gone again."

He leaned back. "What can I say? There is some truth to what you say. You are one of a handful of women that I can. . . uh. . . enjoy relations with that there are no strings attached." He sat up and began pulling on his clothes. "I enjoy the wild, carefree Jenny, but now you're turning into such a girl." He looked at her, narrowing his eyes, "Jenny-Jenny, I do come here for the sex. If you want more, if you expect more, I can tell you there won't be that. If you want me to go, I will. If you want me to never return, I will honor that."

She shook her head. "I'm not strong enough to ask that you get out of my life. I guess I just wanted to know if there was anything else besides the sex."

"Oh, I adore you, my dear, when you're not being whiney and complaining. But there can never be anything permanent between us. I see you as a delightful, very desirable friend. If that isn't enough for you, I'm gone." Rumple-Ray was not especially kind or caring. He absolutely had enjoyed her company but she needed to know her place. _He couldn't allow himself to get too attached. He knew her fate. It would hurt enough when the time came. If he let himself become too fond of her, it would be crushing._

She nodded her head. "I understand. I will not complain again," she told him. She knelt down by the lounger. "You will forgive me?" she looked up at him. "or do you need to 'punish' me first?"

He smiled down at her. "If you ask me nicely enough, I think there could be some punishment."

_Rumple-Ray had visited Gingema, the Witch of the East, frequently during the pregnancy and had been there when her daughter was born. He had whisked the child away soon after birth, taking her child not only into another dimension but far into the future. He had given the child to her father but had then returned to offer the green witch solace and comfort. He stayed awhile that first time and bent himself to wooing her. It had taken minimal effort on his part to seduce her into his bed, she was obviously fascinated by him and so eager for contact with another living entity. Rumple genuinely liked the witch and enjoyed his time with her. She was certainly one of the more enthusiastic bed partners he had been favored with in a while and he knew enough to take advantage of the moment_.

_She had done well, helping her sisters divide up the kingdom into four equal rulerships. But actually ruling was harder for her. She desperately missed Jefferson and her child. Rumplestiltskin, who would always be Ray to her, provided her regular news about the two, but it was not the same thing as seeing them. She was not engaged with her subjects and, as long as they paid her enough taxes to maintain the roads, she remained distant and uninvolved_. _As Rumple's visits became fewer and fewer and shorter and shorter, she grew further away from her subjects and bitterness took root_. _Her subjects, both afraid of her power and disturbed by her distance from them, began to call her "wicked."_

+ + + + + _A Lunch Date_

"Now I haven't seen this dress," Gold told his wife early the next morning. It was a halter topped sundress, made from a bright sunshiney yellow stripped cotton fabric. It fit close around the waist and then flared out into a full skirt

"Yeah, the dress shop called and thought that you'd like it," Emma pulled up on the top. It was showing a bit more cleavage than she quite comfortable with.

"I like this," he trailed a finger along the neckline, stopping a moment to pull the top down at the lowest point, demolishing her previous effort at pulling the dress's neckline up over her cleavage. "There's no bra with this?" With a husband's prerogative, he investigated the construction of the dress's bodice, reaching inside the garment and running his hands between the dress and his wife's body.

"It's part of the dress itself," Emma explained. She was trying to get early morning chores taken care of and his hands were distracting her. It was to be her turn to drop off the baby and her son.

"So all that is under this dress are your panties?" he asked, removing his hands.

"Uh hum," Emma was finishing brushing her hair. She was about to put on a little lipstick, her concession to makeup.

"Take them off, please," he told her.

She stopped what she was doing. "What?"

He didn't repeat himself, but did hold out his hand.

Emma debated. This was not likely a situation that she could win. He was fully capable of depositing her on the bed and removing them himself. She faltered but finally reached up under the dress and removed the silky undergarment herself. She handed them to her husband.

"Lovely," he told her and pocketed them. "I will be calling on you for lunch. I have something to show you." He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the mouth. She reached around him and pulled him in to extend the kiss. He reluctantly pulled away from her and smiled. "Lunch, I'll be by the Sheriff's Office."

Emma took a moment to regain her composure. _What was it about the man that could get her engine going so early in the morning? She had been that ready a moment ago to just let him do her there on the bathroom sink counter . . . and had seriously considered forcing the panty-removal business just to have him put his hands on her. And now, without her underwear, well she was feeling open and exposed. Well, hell, that was his intention, wasn't it? She looked at her watch. How long until lunch?_

_Next: A last bit of smut between Emma and Gold_

_ Silver shoes and a white rabbit_

_ Emma and Lillian_

_ Ice Cream and Confessions_

_A.N. Sorry, I know this is not our Rumple at his most likeable, but I didn't think he could afford to let himself develop any real feelings for Gingema knowing that a house is going to fall on her and take her away from him. He turned into abit of a jerk here and we have to give Jenny the prize for 'witch with the lowest self-esteem.'_

_This story is winding down, one more chapter to go . Look for my next story coming up soon. It's entitled The Alchemist - planning for it to be light-hearted AU adventure with all our favorite characters. thx so much to everybody and especially to my reviewers. Reviews are always welcome and really brighten my day. txm _


	30. The New Office and Endings

_A.N. The first subchapter is smutty, so just skip to the end of the chapter if you're not into that type of thing._

+ + + + + _The New Office_

"Emma, are you alright?" David had asked her later that morning.

"Oh, I'm fine. Is there a problem?"

"Yeah, you seem distracted, all morning, like you've got something on your mind."

Emma felt like she was blushing. "I guess I am a little distracted. Gold is coming by for me at lunch."

David didn't say anything at first. "I'm impressed, Emma. You've been with the man a year now and you obviously still get . . . excited. . . at the prospect of a lunch date."

"He does kinda overwhelm a girl," she admitted. "And yeah, I'm . . . excited. I think he has something special planned. He said he wanted to show me something."

It was only a moment later when Gold came into the sheriff's office. Mister rose, stretched and jumped off his window seat to greet him.

"You're the only one he does that for," observed David.

"We have an understanding," Gold explained. "Mutual respect and admiration." He looked over at Emma. "Things I've only recently learned about."

"Come on, darling. What do you want to show me?"

"Lunch first," he insisted. "I know how important food is to you." He took her by the arm and led her on towards the Diner.

"Now I thought I was going to get something fancy."

"Not a lot of options here in Storybrooke. The fancy part comes later," he told her.

"What?" she pressed, sitting across from him.

_She was so easy to amuse, he thought, like a child expecting a present. For her, the expectation was as important as the present itself. Well, he would try to come through . _

"Eat first," he commanded.

Emma ordered one of her favorites, a chicken salad sandwich, "with plenty of mayo and pickles on the side. And fries. And cole slaw. And I'll probably want dessert. Oh go ahead and just bring me a slice of Granny's cherry pie."

Gold ordered a lean turkey on rye, no mayo and added one of the Diner's new sides, kale and carrot salad with ginger dressing. When Emma wasn't looking, he popped two of his pain pills. His knee had been giving him a fit since the night with the Lilac Fairy. He usually avoided pain pills, but didn't want anything getting in the way of what he had planned for his lovely wife.

Emma looked at his lunch, then hers, "You eat good," she told him.

"Well, even," he responded. "How are you feeling?" he asked her between bites.

"Fine," she answered but then blushed yet again. _What is this with the blushing? She had felt herself flush several times this morning._

He raised an eyebrow, "Just fine?"

She put her sandwich back into her plate. She whispered back to him, "OK, I've been thinking about nothing except doing it with you. I am so turned on right now that if we didn't have an audience I would be right under this table and so on you. . ." She couldn't bring herself to finish and flushed again.

He nodded. "That's nice," he said blandly.

"Oh my god!" she exclaimed. "Don't tell me you haven't been feeling anything?"

"Actually," he admitted, "knowing that there's a beautiful woman who's accessible and available has been a very pleasant diversion for me this morning."

"Diversion. I've been a diversion," Emma said. "You've kept me on your back burner as it were, while I've been boiling over here."

He gave her his slowest smile, "That's rather nice to know."

"Nice? I'm about ready to jump out of my skin here and it's 'nice'?"

"Very nice. Finish your lunch," he directed.

Emma seethed a moment. _How could he be so calm? She wanted to climb over the table and bite him. Bite him on his firm, Scottish ass. Damn, what was wrong with her? He had only taken off her panties, but all morning, feeling the dress brush against her bare skin, feeling air between her legs, knowing he knew there were no barriers to his attentions, seemed to have set her off . She knew she was ready, ready, more than ready but would also have to wait until _he_ decided it was time. And somehow, knowing that it would be his decision, had made everything even hotter for her. _

Emma bent her attention to the meal, finishing her food as he had told her to. She had difficulties sitting still. Gold watched from the corner of his eye. Emma was certainly in a state. He was surprised that such a modest gesture had revved her up so much. This was promising to become an interesting afternoon.

Emma finally looked up and grinned at him, "OK I'm finished. Can I have my surprise now?"

"Not yet, my sweet." Gold signaled Ruby and paid the bill, as always, leaving a generous tip. He rose and held out his hand for Emma who eagerly took it. He led her out of the Diner.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"So many questions. I want you to be quiet for awhile and do as I say."

_OK, this was going to be one of his control things. _Emma nodded. She dutifully followed him and quickly saw they were headed towards the mayor's office. She wanted to ask if that was where they were going, if he had got the re-decoration finished, what it looked like, but managed to keep quiet as he had asked, _ordered, more likely._

They stood outside of what was to be her new office. He turned her to him and asked, "Do you trust me?"

She shivered, but nodded.

"Good girl," he told her and removed his tie. He put it over her eyes, effectively blindfolding them. She stood, moving from one foot to the other, trying to be still. She heard him unlock the door and then felt his hand on her arm. He urged her into office but did not move to take off the blindfold.

"The room can wait, my sweet. I don't know if I can." She heard him whisper and felt herself led further into the room.

"Take off your shoes," he told her.

She kicked off her sandals. She was expecting him to disrobe her or to have her undress herself and was surprised when he said, "kneel."

A bit wobbly in the blindfold, Emma complied. She went to her knees, keeping them shoulder width apart, her back straight and her hands at her sides. She kept her head down, still and listening. She couldn't see him, but felt him walking around her. She heard him murmur, "Lovely."

"Now put your head and shoulders on the carpet." She followed his directive, keeping her butt high in the air as she rested her head on the plush carpet. She felt him lifting the skirt of her dress and flipping it over her head so she now was presenting her naked behind raised and open to his gaze, his hands, his. . . whatever he wanted to put on or into her.

She was trembling, nearly crying, clawing the carpet, waiting, waiting for anything to happen. She heard him behind her, still not touching her, "I like knowing that you've spent the morning primed and ready for my attentions."

When he finally touched her, she jerked and nearly cried out. It was only the lightest touch, enough to ascertain that she was wet. Had she been wearing panties they would have been soaked, but then, it was having not worn panties that had made her so wet. She felt him standing very close, between her legs, slightly splayed apart. Although she knew it was not an easy position for him, she felt him kneel between her legs. She felt him beginning to caress her butt cheeks, a gentle soothing touch. She felt him stroking her, touching all her openings _back there. _She began to squirm but had nowhere to go. His hand reached around to the front of her body and began to firmly finger her, rubbing her, stimulating. When he spread the nether lips and pinched her clit she could not stop from crying out again.

"You like that?" he asked her.

"YesyesyesIlikethat," she told him quickly. "Pleasemorepleasemore."

"I like how you've asked so nicely," he told her and continued with his punishing, pleasurable administrations. "Now be quiet again."

Emma didn't think she could accept much more from him. She kept trying to push herself back into him, wanted to beg him for penetration, but remembering that he had told her to be quiet. She knew from previous similar sessions with her husband that he would not take kindly to her challenging his directives and would draw out his attentions even longer, sustaining her level of frustration to the point that she would be mindless and nearly screaming, oh yes, sometimes actually screaming.

She couldn't stop herself from whimpering. She couldn't stop the sensations building in her body. He kept up his cruel pumping pressure on her clit, forcing her to accept his touch. When he slipped two fingers into her wet, sopping channel she felt herself let go, shaking and shivering, contracting around his fingers. She struggled to remain in the position he had put her into especially after he removed his fingers, but couldn't stop herself from begging him stopstopstop after the first orgasm, the sensation of continued stimulation on her clit was toomuchtoomuchtoomuch. He ignored her. She felt herself penetrated and then she saw stars.

Emma opened one eye and found she was still lying on grey carpet, the blindfold removed and the dress skirt pulled off of her head and back below her waist. She was lying on her side and realized that her breathing had returned to normal.

"Are you all right?" she heard him ask.

"Uh huh," she managed to say. She struggled but was able to sit up. She looked around. "Oh my god, that was fantastic and this is beautiful," she said, trying to take in everything at once. One of the first things she was able to focus on was an incredible desk, a light, almost white-colored wooden desk carved with, omg, roses and, yes, those were swans. She pulled herself to her feet, still staggering from his love-making and ever grateful for his support.

"I didn't think the desk would support our combined weight, so I decided to just have you on the floor," he shared.

"Well that worked out pretty well," she smiled demurely at him. "I suppose I'm one in a long line of mayors you've had in this office."

"Not a long line," he responded.

"Regina?"

"Emma, you knew Regina was my mistress off and on, long before I met you. Yes, I took her several times in this office. She likes it a little rougher than you do."

"Please tell me you knocked her around some," Emma said, wandering the new office, picking up and examining everything.

"There was the occasional spanking. . . with a belt."

Emma stopped, "Eeuu! Why Gold, you kinky bastard."

"Hey that was what she wanted, not me. I prefer to rely on my own equipment and the occasional soft restraint."

"Yeah, so I've noticed," she responded, looking around the room. "This is the most beautiful room I've ever been in. The desk is amazing. Where ever did you find it?"

"I've known about this desk for awhile and was just waiting on a chance to bring it out of storage."

Emma shook her head. The room was far more than she had expected. The desk, a plush chair, bookcases with glass doors, deep plush dark grey chairs sitting around a low table with a white marble top, the occasional lush green plants, with colors all in the white to grey family with the occasional touch of red. It was a charming, yet sophisticated room. Emma felt very much at home, very comfortable. Gold had done an excellent job.

"Was it worth it?" he asked her.

She soothed down the dress she was still wearing. "This room in exchange for wearing three dresses a week. Yeah, I think so."

"I'm so glad," he told her. He was sitting in her new desk chair and looking closely at her. "Take the dress off now."

Emma looked back at him surprised. _It hadn't even been twenty minutes! _

She had to smile. Then she complied.

+ + + + + _Silver Shoes_

It was later that afternoon. Gold sat in his shop. He heard the bell. It was dear little Paige-Grace. He found that he was looking forward to his once a week sessions with the child. She was a quick study, had long since passed anything that Emma could do and was fast catching up with Henry. He had the passing thought that Jefferson might be a better teacher for Emma, if she would ever consider accepting him. Paige was the perfect student for himself, serious about her magic. He knew she practiced, but was still careful. He appreciated that lack of impulsivity which often hampered young, inexperienced sorcerers. They would sometimes make fatal mistakes.

"I brought you something," she told him, bursting with the news. "It's just something little that I made in school." She held out her hand to him.

It was a ceramic white rabbit.

"Thank you, Paige. Thank you." He told her genuinely touched. People had rarely given him gifts. They were always appreciated. "I have a special place for this," he told the child and limped without his cane over to one of the display cases. He opened the case and set the rabbit next to a white chipped cup. "These are the most precious things I own," he said to her.

"I'm glad you like it," she told him, watching him with some concern as he limped back to behind the register.

"Come, Paige, now I have something for you. I've been holding onto it for some time." He took her into the back room and handed her a box with a pair of silvery shoes. He explained, "It took me some time to track these down. They originally belonged to your mother but were taken from her by a young woman named Dorothy Gale following the accident that killed your mother. I tracked down the family and bought the shoes from them. I thought they should come back to you." _Especially since they had no magic in them for the Gale family any more. _

"Did you know my mother?" she asked him, suddenly very serious. He realized that Jefferson had never talked with Paige about her mother.

"I did. I knew her quite well," he told the child. "She was a strong, independent woman. She loved you very much."

"She died in an accident?"

Gold thought back. Jenny had been in a snit about one of her servants and a relationship gone awry. He knew that neither he nor Jefferson had treated her particularly well and Jenny had some well-grounded distrust and disapproval of men in general. She had gone into the Munchkin's town to deliver a curse to the straying beau when Dorothy's house just happened to fall on her, literally fall on her. It was a tragic accident but, at the same time, he knew her time was over and something or another would claim her. Dorothy took Jenny's magic shoes and eventually they had made their way to a very strange land called Kansas.

Paige had put on the shoes. "They fit me perfectly!"

"And they always will," he promised her.

"Are they magic?"

"Very strong magic. You may want to leave them with Jefferson for the time being. He will take good care of them for you." He had leaned down while talking to the child.

Paige's face lit up. "Of course. Thank you so much. " She turned and gave him a hug around his neck, surprising him. "Next to my step-parents and my father, I think I love you most." She told him and, still wearing the silver shoes (while carrying her original pair) she danced out of his shop.

Gold was shaken. Love was always scary for him. But this child loved him whole-heartedly and purely. And he cared for her, almost like a daughter. Almost with as much love as he had for his own dear daughter.

+ + + + + _Afternoon Tea_

"I understand you asked Rumple to come after me, to apologize and try to make amends," Lillian was sitting at the Gold's kitchen table mid-afternoon, taking tea with Emma.

"I did. I thought it was an important step in healing both for you and for him."

"What does he have to heal from?" Lillian asked sharply. "He was the abuser."

"He has to forgive himself. That person who hurt you was damaged and ill. He can't get better until he can acknowledge and accept what he did and move on from it. He also needs your forgiveness, but I don't know if you are ready to offer that. Or if you will ever be able to offer that."

"Not any time soon," Lillian admitted. "Emma, I know you genuinely care for the man, perhaps even love him, but do you know what all he did to me?"

"Abuse, sexual, physical, mental, I guess, magical."

"He beat me, he raped me, he drained my powers. Oh Emma, I wanted to die. Even now, it's been a very long time, but even now, I still feel compelled to kneel in his presence, to lower my eyes, to try to obey, to anticipate his commands. My body begins to ready itself for his. . . attentions when I am near him. I am terrified when I am near him. I am not rational, not quite sane around him."

"And you want to hurt him, like he hurt you," Emma said with understanding.

"Sometimes, yes." She paused, "A lot of times. But other times. . . I know we had tipped him over the edge, we were at least partly responsible for making him so crazy. I know in so many ways he wasn't responsible."

"You know," Emma shared. "I had some tough times, not that I'm comparing what I went through with what you have had to deal with. But I know there are some things you _don't_ get over. You learn to live with it or it kills you. It will eat you up from inside."

Lillian slowly nodded, in agreement. "Did he tell you what I've asked for?"

"He's offering you a house and a stipend. He's given you an apology, one that I believe is sincere. And he's agreed for you to become Ysbael's magic teacher when she is ten."

"You ok with all this?" Lillian asked.

"Uh huh." Emma took a sip of tea and shared, "He said that you made him kneel."

"I did."

Emma smiled. "I bet that had to feel good. I mean, I think the man has some genuine feelings for me, but sometimes he orders me about like I'm his 24/7 sub and if I disagree, he goes ahead and does what he wants to anyway or locks me in a dungeon or does something . . . else. . . dominating."

"It did feel good," Lillian admitted with her own shy smile. "I felt like he would have done just about anything I'd asked him to at that moment. But I was also afraid that he would turn on me and flame me, like I had cornered a dragon."

Emma took another sip of tea. "He still wants his son back, you know."

Lillian smiled. "Maybe I can help with that. I still have some residual powers and I know where the child went. With a little help from someone who knows about locating people, I might be able to find him."

Emma toasted her with her teacup. "Let's work on that."

+ + + + + _No Words_

Henry and Paige were playing scrabble in a quiet corner of the living room. Baby Ysbael was cruising along furniture, responding to any redirection with total defiance, sticking her chin out. _Like her mother,_ Gold had thought. _He would have his hands full with his daughter, he just knew. _He and Emma were each enjoying a small bowl of homemade ice cream, a concoction he had created that included herbs and liquors. _A secret recipe_, he'd explained. _Someday I'll pass it on to Henry._

"Let's see now. I will be officially inaugurated as mayor in two weeks. Regina's laying low. Lillian's settled. Jefferson is dating Ms. Dodgson and has a relationship with his long lost daughter. Mary Margaret had taken over the paper and you have your thumb on her. I don't want you to push on her too hard, you know. She wants to be fair and do a good job."

"Now Emma, when have I ever tried to intimidate anyone?" he asked her innocently.

She rolled her eyes. "Every moment of every day, my dear. It's who you are. Let me finish. I have fallen in love with you and David will become High Sheriff and Leroy will become his deputy and Mister the Cat has quit making my life miserable."

Gold was sitting with his mouth opened. "Can you repeat that?"

"Mister the Cat has quit making my life miserable."

"No, before," he motioned with his hand for her to go back.

"Leroy is deputy."

He shook his head.

"David is high sheriff?"

"Go back further," he urged.

"You intimidate people every moment of everyday?"

"After that."

"I've fallen in love with you?"

He put down his bowl of ice cream. "Emma, I can't imagine my life without you. I want you around. I think of you so often during the day. I like hearing you moan and scream when I touch you. I would probably try to kill anyone who tried to take you away from me or who tried to hurt you."

He paused, closed his eyes. "But I can't say the words. Emma. Something terrible happens to the people I love."

Emma smiled at him, "Then don't say the words. You can just show me."

_fin_

_A. N. This has been a fun, but I think I have taken this story as far as it will go. Tried to tie up most of the loose ends; hope I did ok with that. A special thanks to Notsureyet18 and thedoctorsgirl42 who stayed with me the whole way, including my hospitalizations and multiple infusions. Also thanks to all the anonymous reviewers, phantomess300, OfTheDark, Yuiop, SakuraBlossom58, Ying-Fa-dono, BrittanyLS, belladu57, Detafo, the unknown few stand together, MonkeesDoctorWho1987, ParanormalMoonlight. Psychobillybutterfly, GwenCooper456, __iub__ (), The Green Eyed Cat, Hannahcaiusvolturi, Emperor's Sister, Kate R1 (), Supernatural-Girl17, NyraGrimm, FranzF, Kendra Luehr, BuffyRowan (and everyone else that I may have lost track of who reviewed me). Thank you. Thank you. Thank you._

_Hopefully quite soon (I've outlined it and am about 20,000 words into it) I will have an OUAT AU story coming out called The Alchemist (you can figure out who the main character is, I'm sure). It's got spaceships and pirates and dragons and an Evil Queen and doublecrosses and a number of favorite pairings that I hope will make an enjoyable read. It should be posted shortly after this chapter goes up. Thx txm _


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